Office Hours
by Parker19
Summary: So I read a few fics where Fitz is the teacher and Olivia is the student. I wanted to flip that. Olivia finds herself falling for a student in the class she is a TA for despite her better judgment. Rated M for language and sexual content. Enjoy!
1. PART 1: Forget It

**As those of you who have followed me through this website know, I finished** _ **Someplace Good**_ **and went off to college, so I could not write consistently anymore. Over last semester/beginning of summer, I have completed a shorter fic.**

 **I hate to say that I didn't put as much effort into it as** _ **Someplace Good**_ **, but it may seemed rushed. I focused more exclusively on their relationship, rather than in** _ **Someplace Good**_ **where I had a more complex intertwining of their relationship with outer forces. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy. If you haven't read** _ **Someplace Good**_ **, then go check it out!**

 **I'm posting all of Part 1 now, so enjoy the binge:)**

 **Part 2 should be shortly.**

* * *

Forget it-Breaking Benjamin

It's a crime you let it happen to me  
Nevermind, I'll let it happen to you  
Out of mind, forget it there's nothing to lose  
But my mind and all the things I wanted

* * *

Olivia sat with her mentor Cyrus Beene in his office. It was the first day of the semester, and she was excited. She was working on completing her Master's degree in Journalism at Harvard, which meant she had to TA for a class. She chose to TA for a political science course, because her undergraduate degree was in that department. Being a TA was often viewed as a burden, but she didn't mind if it meant working under the brilliant Dr. Beene. Cyrus worked as a top advisor under the first Bush administration and found himself in a comfortable tenured position at the most prestigious school in the world. She had a lot to learn.

"I can tell this is going to be fun." He laughed as he digested Olivia's liberal rebuttal of his argument why conservative politics were still relevant in the 21st century. They were opposites politically, but very like-minded and skilled debaters. Mainly, they were both stubborn as hell and loved a good natured challenge. "I think we should be heading to class now."

"Lead the way." Olivia beamed, feeling something like an excited kindergartener on her first day at school.

She sat in the back of the class, observing the students as they walked in. Here were the brightest students in the world, on their way to changing the world. They were the future presidents and CEOs. She was well aware that this class was a GE requirement for a majority of them, so she somewhat enjoyed watching the diverse group walk in and claim their seats.

One student, in particular, caught her eye. He was obviously older. She tried to guess his age—He looked to be in his late twenties, maybe thirties. He strode in with an obvious ease, as he sat down right in front of her and opened his notebook, titling his page. He had a thick head of brown curls that were neatly kept. She could have sworn his eyes were a clear blue, but she wasn't certain.

Dr. Beene started the class, introducing himself and the syllabus. After running through the core principles for the class, he introduced Olivia as the TA. She stood, waving to the class. She felt his eyes bore into her, and stared intentionally at the rest of the class. She was pulled to him, and she didn't know why. She couldn't place it. She sat back and took notes on what to bring up in her discussion.

When the class wrapped up early, Olivia hung around the door, in case anyone wanted to talk. She noticed his eyes when he walked out—bright blue. Like the Miami waters that she spent her summers in visiting her grandparents. She felt heat rising to her cheeks, as he walked right past her, with prolonged eye contact. A few students stopped by her to make brief introductions.

Afterwards, she had a few minutes to spare, so she stopped by the coffee shop on her way to her internship. She immediately regretted stepping into the crowded coffee shop. Of course the place would be hectic on the first week. After waiting in a standstill line for ten minutes, she turned on her heel to leave. The next thing she knew, a scalding hot coffee was being poured down her blouse.

" _Fuck_." She muttered, as she looked up at the perpetrator. The same piercing blue eyes that intrigued her earlier were now staring down at her, widened with shock.

"Oh, shit. I'm so sorry." He apologized, reaching to a nearby table and grabbing a wad of napkins. He stared at the brown soaked shirt in a state of awkwardness, as he realized he could not simply dab the liquid off of her breasts. "Here." He held them out.

"It's _fine._ " Olivia said with a degree of bitterness as she accepted the napkins and began to soak what she could off of her shirt.

"It's not. I'm so sorry. Let me buy your coffee for you." He glanced in embarrassment at the line that had barely budged.

"No need. I don't have time." Olivia almost cursed again. "I have a job to get to. I need to get back to my apartment to change."

"How far?" He asked with sincerity. "I can drive you. That is, if you want."

Olivia glanced at her watch. She had forty minutes, and her apartment was a solid fifteen minute walk away not including the ten minutes to change and a thirty minute commute, assuming the bus was on time. This threw a solid wrench in her plans.

"Okay." She accepted, this time, looking directly into his eyes. She had to stop herself from getting lost in them.

" _Fuck._ " He whispered again.

She wondered the meaning for his words.

"You are my TA. Shit, what an impression to leave. Sorry, I can drive you home very quickly. I'm so sorry. My car is just on the other side of the street."

Olivia smiled politely despite her obvious irritation, following him to his car. He held the door open to his slick black BMW. _A typical rich boy_ , she thought as he purred the engine to life.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I have properly introduced myself." He began, as he pulled his car onto the street. "I'm Fitzgerald—uh, Fitz—Grant."

"Olivia Pope." She extended her hand across the console into his. He had a solid hand shake. It lingered for a second longer than it should have. "This is it, up here." He pulled in front of her apartment building.

"I still feel awful, and I don't want you to be late. If you want, I can drive you to work."

Olivia regarded him and her watch. There was no way that she could make it to the bus stop on time. "I'll be right back."

It was four minutes before she returned in a dark, royal blue blouse as a replacement. Fitz took this time to fully notice her physical appearance. She was short and fit. Her pencil skirt fit her curves perfectly. Her hair which was a mention of curls gracefully grazing her collarbone was now pulled back into a high bun. That only accentuated her facial features. She was beautiful with round doe eyes and lips plumper than he had ever seen.

She stepped back into his car. "Sorry, that took so long."

Fitz grinned pointing at the clock, "It took you four minutes and you completely changed."

There was a moment of eye contact with nothing to say. The air grew unintentionally thick as Olivia realized just how gorgeous he was. _He is your student. No, Olivia, no._ She thought to herself as she cleared her throat.

"Uh, where is your work place?"

"It's the Boston Globe. Downtown. Do you know where that is?"

He nodded, pulling out into the road.

Olivia leaned back into the leather seat. "You look a little old to be in undergrad." Olivia noted. "And you don't have a Boston accent. Where are you from?"

"California. Santa Barbara, actually. I spent six years in the Air Force, which is why I am such an old man." He said with a humorous smirk. "What about you? I hear an accent, but it is certainly not from the New England."

"North Carolina." Her faint southern accent became more prominent once she acknowledged it "I have tried to mask my accent over the years. Even during my undergrad at Duke. I guess I slipped." She winked when he looked over at her.

They made small talk about the class for the fifteen minute drive to the newspaper she was interning at.

"Right here is fine." She directed as he pulled into an empty parking spot in front of her building. "Thank you, Fitzgerald."

"Fitz. Only my mother calls me by my full name." He smiled warmly. "Fitz."

"Fitz." Olivia agreed.

"It was the least I could do." He extended his hand and she placed hers in his.

"I guess I'll see you in class on Wednesday." Olivia said, quickly climbing out of his car. She felt something in the way he was looking at her. She shook her head, walking into the huge lobby. She had a straight and narrow line to follow as his TA. She couldn't delude herself to believe that his blue eyes were searching for more.

/

"Good morning, Olivia."

Olivia looked up from her textbook to see Fitz take a seat in front of her, just like the first day.

"Good morning, Fitz. You are here early."

"So are you." He turned in his seat, so he could see face her more easily. His eyes were unusually bright, as he let a lopsided smile cross his face.

"The classroom is vacant before class, and my favorite spot in the library is currently under construction, so I came here."

"How long have you been in here?"

Olivia looked at her watch. "About two hours."

Fits let out a low whistle. "That is too long. Have you even eaten breakfast?"

"No."

He abruptly got up and left, leaving her alone again. She raised an eyebrow at his odd behavior, but then went back to her studying. She still had 15 minutes until class started. The time passed quickly, and she wondered where he ran off to. The entire class was there, except for him.

Cyrus took to his podium and flipped his microphone on. He began his lecture on the core framework for analyzing politics, when Olivia felt someone sit down next to her.

"I wasn't sure what you liked, but I figured I couldn't go wrong with a blueberry muffin." He smiled as he passed her a brown bag and a coffee.

"You didn't have to…" Olivia started to refuse.

"Shh. You shouldn't be going hungry just for school." He insisted.

Olivia looked up at him, ignoring the lecture. She was glad that nobody chose to sit around them. "This feels inappropriate." She whispered.

"Then let's be inappropriate…" He whispered back, mimicking her tone. "You don't have to take it. I didn't mean anything by it." He pulled his notebook out and began dutifully taking notes on the lecture. Olivia stared at the muffin, eventually unwrapping it and pinching a small bite into her mouth. She swore that she saw him smile out of the corner of his mouth.

/

Olivia stopped by Cyrus's office to share her lesson plans for her discussion. He seemed so at home in with his feet resting on the edge of the desk and a thick notepad resting on his lap with very complex notes. He was currently writing a book as a part of his tenure, and she was positive he was one of the only people who insisted on writing his thoughts down with a pen before typing them up.

"Hey, Olivia." He moved his feet and motioned for her to have a seat. She was always noticing new things about his office. Small artifacts that had historical significance, and she couldn't wait until he shared the stories behind them.

She outlined her plans for his approval, and asked questions about how to shape the discussions. It took about thirty minutes, until she was done.

"What do you think?" He asked abruptly.

"About what?"

"Being a TA."

"So far, so good." She noted, still unsure.

"I noticed that Fitz sat down next to you last class."

"Mr. Grant?" She raised her eyebrow, wondering how they were on first name basis already.

"Mr. Grant." He nodded. "That is an interesting case. I was surprised to see him enrolled in my class."

She raised her eyebrow again, still unsure about where he was heading. He picked up on his need to elaborate more.

"Son of the infamous California governor?"

Olivia kept her confused face on. "Gerry Grant?" As it slowly rang a bell as she recalled his non-compromising plan for deporting illegal immigrants.

Cyrus nodded. "There's a bastard, if you ever met one. Fitz is his token boy. Decorated war veteran at the age of 24. It wasn't a problem for him to enroll, here of course. It isn't a secret that Big Gerry will do everything in his power to get that boy in office one day. Probably all the way to _the_ office. God knows, he has the potential and pedigree."

"Hmm." Olivia nodded, feeling uneasy about this new information. "He had the sure air of a politician."

"I've met him before at a fundraiser. He's someone I will keep my eye on in class."

That ended the conversation, as she bid him goodbye and left his office, mulling this new information over. She couldn't get him out of her head, and she couldn't figure out why.

/

Olivia felt somewhat official in her first official office hours. Her discussion that morning went incredibly well. She wasn't expecting anyone to stop by—it was only the first week, and they had not covered any particularly difficult material yet. It just felt nice to sit in her temporary office and wait for any students.

She put on some soft Norah Jones to pass the time, as she opened her books to study. After the first thirty minutes passed, she heard a soft knock on her door.

"Are you ever not studying?" a lopsided smirk was standing in her door. He was wearing dark wash jeans and a Harvard t shirt. This was her first time she saw him in casual clothes, and she had to admit, he looked very handsome.

"I'm a busy girl." She motioned for him to come have a seat as she paused her music and stowed away her books.

"I can tell." He sat across from her and crossed his ankle across his leg. He looked so relaxed and utterly confident in his own skin.

"Something tells me you didn't stop by to discuss this week's lecture."

He had a vague twinkle in his eyes as he met her accusation. "What are your plans tonight?"

"Studying."

"As interesting as I'm sure that is, I was wondering if you would like to accompany me to Barley's tonight?"

"I have work in the morning." She smiled, politely. The college bars in the area weren't exactly appealing.

"Ah, I see." He nodded. "Being around a bunch of drunken college students isn't really your thing, is it?" There was a hidden challenge in his voice.

"I have work in the morning."

"Assuming you didn't have work in the morning…"

"Assuming I didn't…"

"Then what is your thing?"

Olivia paused, biting her lip in the process. There was something so easy going about him. "A glass of red wine."

"How about a compromise?"

"Which would be…?"

"Antonio's is a quieter bar on the other side of the city. With a considerably lesser amount of students. I'll be there with a scotch for me and a red wine for you. Show up if you want. I won't be offended if you don't." He stood, "But I hope you do."

/

"You are looking nice." Abbey sat back with an air of amused judgment in her voice. She was her roommate, a fellow graduate student. Except she was in her third year of Creative Writing. She as probably going to be a NY Times best seller in a couple years, if she actually got around to graduating

Olivia ignored her, knowing that she would continue her interrogation without any prompting.

"Is _the_ Olivia Pope going out on a Thursday night?"

"I am." Olivia stated, matter-of-factly, as she finished slipping her heels on.

"Who is he?"

"Why do you assume it's a guy?"

"Why else would you be wearing that dress?" Abbey gave an obvious look down of her sleek black knee-length dress with an asymmetrical neckline.

Olivia stopped, giving her a knowing look. "Okay, it is a guy."

"Does he have a name?"

"Yes." She replied, knowing her secrecy would drive her insane.

"He must be some kind of man, if he is dragging you out of this apartment on a Thursday night."

"I don't know yet." Olivia replied earnestly. "I don't know about any of this yet."

"Don't overthink it." Abbey stopped her and adjusted her hair. "Just go have fun." She said with an air of pride.

/

He wasn't a liar. He was waiting for her with a glass of scotch for himself, and a glass of red wine for herself.

"Hi." Was all she said, as she took the seat next to him.

"Hi." He replied with a surprised smile. "I'm surprised you came."

"I did." She looked around at the bar. It was a nice, quiet place. Most of their patrons were probably people getting off at work at the financial district. "I like this place."

"It beats the library, doesn't it?"

"It does." She agreed as she took a sip of her wine. She was surprised by his selection. "You must know a bit about wine, to choose a '94 Chateau du Monteau."

"The bartender's selection. I'm a scotch guy." He tapped the edge of his glass.

"Then I guess I should go compliment him." She tipped her glass to his in a mock toast.

"You look beautiful." He said, letting his eyes wander down her dress.

"Thank you." She wanted to squirm under his gaze. It was electrifying. "So what is your major?" She asked, making small talk.

"I'm double majoring in economics and international relations."

"Nice. Where will that lead you?" She was expecting the answer Cyrus told her the other day, but she didn't want to tip her hand.

Surprisingly, he sighed, running a hand through his hair and leaning back in the booth. "I'm not sure. Politics seems like the obvious route."

"Is politics what you want to do?" Olivia asked quietly, curious about his sudden change in behavior.

"I don't know anymore. I want to make a change for the future generations, and all of that corny shit. The political machine just seems too corrupt and futile at times."

"There are other ways. You will find yours."

He smiled at her. "What about you? A Masters in Journalism? Are you the next Diane Sawyer? A degree in PoliSci must mean that you are on the Woodward and Bernstein route."

She laughed a melody of soft notes. "I do want to do political journalism. I like the idea of holding the government and all of those corrupt politicians accountable." She playfully poked her finger into his chest.

"So you are a nuisance?" He leaned in, with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Something like that." She played along, bringing her glass to her lips for a final sip. Fitz immediately motioned for the waitress to come refill her glass.

"Oh, no." She protested, laughing embarassingly. "I am kind of a light weight, really."

"I'll make sure you get home safely." He dropped his voice, and Olivia felt herself go warm on the inside. The waitress returned with a fresh glass for both of them, and Olivia didn't reject it. Fitz hung his arm over her side of the booth. They continued drinking, both having deep seated reservations about each other, but the attraction was palpable and unstoppable.

"This Boston weather must be a jolt from Santa Barbara."

"I miss it being consistently 75 degrees every day, but I can handle the cold."

"California sounds nice. I've never been."

"Really?" He raised his eyebrow. "You would love it there. Do you like the beach?"

"I love the beach." Olivia emphasized by leaning into him. She did it before she could stop herself, but he didn't pull back. She was practically in the crook of his arm. "My grandparents live in Miami, and I love visiting them."

"I would love for you to see my parent's house out there. It is something else."

"I would like to do so." She paused, letting a smile form on her lips. "Do you know how to surf?"

A deep chuckle escaped him, "Do you think of me as nothing but a stereotype?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"No, I don't. I preferred just to swim in the ocean."

"That's a shame. I thought we would have a common interest."

"You do?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I do."

"Wow. I never would have thought—"

"That a nerd like me." She finished his sentence, jokingly.

"We both know that is not what I was going to say."

"But it is what you were thinking." She teased him, reveling in the way his ears turned red.

"When I look at you, _nerd_ is the last thing I think of."

She was suddenly aware of their proximity to one another. His eyes zeroed in on her face. His head was bent down to address her. His compliment shone bright on his face.

"What do you think of?" She glanced down at her hand, resting lightly on his thigh. _When did that get there?_ "When you look at me."

His eyes searched her face up and down, settling on her lips. Olivia knew she was in too deep when he tucked a finger under her chin, pulling her face upwards. Her lips parted barely, as he slowly lowered his mouth onto hers. When his lips grazed hers, she felt a flock of butterflies being released in her stomach. He showed restraint in the kiss, just softly kissing her lips. She let him remain in control of the kiss as he brought a hand to her cheek, but she couldn't stop her lips from moving with his.

" _That_. That is what I think of." He whispered, pulling back but still holding her face in his hand.

All she could do was breathe and stare at his beautiful features. The wine was rushed to her head and she felt a light blanket of euphoria. She remembered who they were, and why it all was so wrong. She pulled back, nervously running her hands down her dress like there were wrinkles.

"Fitz…" She whispered, still in the rapture of the feeling of his lips on hers. "I should be going. I have—"

"Work." He finished, for her.

"Yeah, that." She gathered her bag and rose. He followed, slipping a hand under her arm.

"I'll drive you home. You shouldn't be taking a bus."

"Okay." She agreed following him out of the restaurant. He opened the door for her and got behind the wheel. To say the drive back was awkward was an understatement. Olivia felt so embarrassed. She was his goddamn TA, and she let him kiss her—no—she encouraged him to kiss her. _She kissed him back_. Finally, he broke the silence.

"I didn't mean to cross any line back there. This was not my intention…"

Olivia remained silent for a moment, resting her chin in her hand. "You are my student." She said more to herself, than to him.

"I know. I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."

 _But I liked it_ , Olivia thought.

It wasn't long before he was pulling in front of her apartment. He pulled over, parking where she told him to. He opened her door for her, helping her out of the car. They stood by her car, each unknowing of what to say. Fitz looked at her lips, pressed together, and wanted nothing more than to kiss them again.

"Thank you." She clasped her hands together awkwardly.

"Don't worry about it." He smiled, patting her shoulder.

"Goodnight, Fitz." Gave him one more conflicting look before she went up to her apartment.

/

"How was it?"

Olivia rolled her eyes the second she got in her apartment. She just knew that Abbey would be waiting on her. Human interaction was the last thing she wanted at the moment.

"That bad, huh?" There was an air of amusement in her voice. "What was it? Bad breath? Did he like Nickelback or Pitbull? Married? Awful to his mother? Oh God… He wasn't a Republican, was he?"

"Drop it." Olivia went straight to her room and shut the door. She threw her body on her bed and stared at the ceiling.

He was her student. _But he was so…_ Her student. _But the way he kissed her_.

Olivia groaned, throwing her head into her pillow. What was wrong with her? He was just a guy. No man could ever be worth jeopardizing her graduate degree. She had gotten this far on her own.

She let her mind wander to the way his hand felt behind her neck. How he kissed her so softly, not wanting to rush anything. He was a true man, and she could sense it in everything he did. Even his smell lingered on her.

After a couple of minutes of agony, Abbey knocked softly on her door.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I'm in deep, Abbey." She sat up, pulling herself together.

Abbey sat down on the edge of her bed. "How so?"

"He's my student."

/

Fitz raised his hand…again. He sighed, letting her know his unhappiness. This was his third time raising his hand—the second time he was the only one doing so—and every time Olivia didn't call on him. This had been going on for two weeks.

"Okay." Olivia said seriously. "It isn't too much to ask for you guys to read a couple pages every night. This is Harvard, after all. If you wanted to get a degree without trying, Yale is two hours away." That garnered a couple of snickers from her students.

Fitz had enough, speaking up over her. "This blind following we see stems from extended ties seen by the public. It can be observed in how Hilary Clinton carries the black vote when Bernie Sander's policies are obviously more beneficial to the demographic. It is because she is Bill Clinton's wife, and ever since he played his saxophone on the Arsenio Hall Show, he has had the black voters around his finger."

"Your argument is flawed, Mr. Grant. You ignore all of the discriminatory policies of the War on Drugs that Clinton implemented during his term. How could someone show continued support for a man that facilitated a spike in incarceration?"

"Well, that comes down to voter ignorance. If they were more informed and had better voter turnout, blips like this wouldn't exist."

"So now they are ignorant?"

"I didn't say that."

"But your tone did." Olivia backed up and addressed the class. "Class, this is a prime example of how your tone will always say more than your diction. This may be a political science course, but communicating skills will always be more powerful. Let's dissect his argument: First, he interrupted with hostility in his tone—"

"Because you wouldn't acknowledge me."

Olivia paused, with a deadly smile. "You aren't learning from your mistakes, Mr. Grant. Interrupting and showing disrespect for authority isn't the route to go. Anyways, back to what I was saying, He began with hostility. That automatically makes your audience put up their defense and shut out any incoming material."

Fitz rose, abruptly gathering his books. Right when he reached the door, Olivia stopped him.

"Mr. Grant. Before you go, here is your essay." She held out the paper, folded over so nobody could see the grade.

It was all he could do to not snatch it as he accepted it and left class thirty minutes early.

/

Olivia sighed seeing Fitz standing outside of her office before she could get there. Class ended ten minutes ago. He was waiting on her. "What?"

"I could ask you the same thing. What is your problem?"

Olivia shot him a _quiet down_ look before unlocking the door and letting him in. " _My problem?_ " She kept her voice low but powerful.

"You have been treating me unfairly, and I hate to think I know why."

Olivia leaned against her desk and raised her eyebrows. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Come on." He threw his hands up halfway. "You ignore me in class, and when you do acknowledge me, you cut me down with no chance to explain myself. You failed my first essay, and—"

"I'm sorry your plan to seduce the TA for an A didn't work out."

"That is not what this is about! Don't insult me. You are taking everything out on me, because I kissed you. I apologized, and I don't know what else to do."

"That is not why I—"

"Then what is?"

"Your thesis was weak. It wasn't subjective enough. If I wanted to read a Wikipedia article, I would have opened Google Chrome. You didn't show enough creativity."

"That is not it. You could be more creative with your excuses, yourself."

Olivia opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She just stood there, slightly stunned.

"You are scared." He stated matter-of-factly. "I kissed you and it scared you, and I'm sorry for that." He stepped forward to her, his voice soft. "But I was ready to move on and pretend it never happened."

"Mr. Grant…" She cast her eyes downwards, and hated herself for it. _Why couldn't she look him in the face? Why did she have to call him by his last name in order to keep her composure?_

He took a couple steps towards her, so that he was right in front of her, within her reach. "Don't be scared. I know you feel something for me. I know it because I know you, which is crazy, because I don't know you, but I do."

Olivia now looked up into his eyes, He had the softest look in him, and she suddenly felt so foolish for her behavior. She suddenly remembered the way his hands felt wrapped around her and the way his lips felt brushing against hers.

"I'm sorry for this." She spoke in her clearest voice, and her next move scared both of them as she pushed up on her toes. She pushed her mouth centimeters from his, then pulled back, hesitating and trying to talk herself out of it. He wouldn't have any of that as he sliding one hand around her back and the other one in between her hair and neck. He held her there for a split moment, until she found the courage to seal their kiss. Her hands clutched his shirt by his sides as their tongues explored each other's mouths. Fitz backed her up to the edge of her desk. She was intoxicating in the best way. He kissed her like he wanted to kiss her the first time.

Finally, he withdrew. Her eyes were still closed and her head was tilted. He ran his thumb across her cheek and lips. Her large, doe eyes opened and looked at him. The careful guard was completely gone, and he saw something else. He wasn't sure what it was, but he was going to find out.

"Fitz…"

He was beginning to love the way she said it.


	2. PART 1: Moonrise Kingdom

Moonrise Kingdom—Angel Haze

I was born all alone, you the same babe  
I was born all alone all alone  
Naked, we were as we came, babe..  
Naked we came, we would go on  
Oh no, I'm not running in vain, babe..  
Oh no, I ain't running too far  
It's just some beasts from the wild  
Can't be tamed babe.

* * *

Olivia rubbed her temples with her fingers. She had a research paper due in the next day, and that wasn't the reason why she felt so out of control of her life. She changed the song on her iPod, and focused back on the Word document in front of her, before her mind could wander.

"Hi."

She looked up to see Fitz entering her private study room. _Great. Just what I need to finish this paper._

"Hi." She replied, watching him choose the seat next to her.

"I just happened to notice you in here. I was on my way to grab dinner. Do you want to join?"

"I would love to, but I have a deadline and a lot to finish."

"I see." He nodded, understanding. "When is it due?"

"Tomorrow at noon."

He made a face that almost made her laugh. _Almost._

"Can we make another deal?"

"Even after how the last one turned out?"

"Hey. I got to kiss you, didn't I?"

Olivia felt a deep red rush to her cheeks as she sighed. "Okay, we can make another deal."

"Tomorrow, at noon, we are going to celebrate."

"Celebrate what?"

"Your paper being finished. It calls for a lunch."

"Is that so?"

"It is. You work too hard. You need to relax."

Olivia found herself smiling despite her control. There was something about him. "Tomorrow for lunch. To celebrate."

"Where should I pick you up?"

"You can pick me up outside of my apartment."

He smiled, rising to leave. "I'll see you then." He leaned across the table and kissed her on the cheek. Just like that, he was gone.

/

"Wow." He was leaning against her door frame.

"What?"

"You look way too beautiful for someone who supposedly had to stay up all night for an essay… Where you just trying to blow me off yesterday?" He feigned hurt, as he took in her white sundress. Her hair was braided in a loose French braid with a low bun.

"Shut up." She punched his gut, playfully, but he grabbed her arm, pulling her into him. His mouth descended on hers, as he kissed her hello. Olivia didn't know how much she needed that kiss, until he felt his hand support the nape of her neck and his tongue softly graze her lips.

"We should, um…" She breathed, catching her breath.

"Go." He finished her sentence, taking her hand in his, and leading her to his car.

He drove them to a park along the river that was a good way away from campus. He knew she was hesitant about them being seen together, and he wanted her to have a break from school.

"I thought we were going to get lunch." Olivia commented as she

"I already did." He winked, pulling a blanket and basket out of the trunk of his car. "I know that chicken salad, probably isn't the most complex lunch, but I had to drag you outside for some fresh air." He pulled out a bottle of wine.

"I thought you didn't know wine?" She examined the label.

"Store-owner's recommendation." He smiled, popping the cork and pouring her a glass.

They ate and got to know each other. Olivia found out that their taste in movies couldn't have been further from each other, but he did have a strikingly similar music taste, which meant more to Olivia.

"It is nice to get outside." Olivia rested her cheek against his arm, and he positioned them so that she was sitting in between his legs. The air was surprisingly warm for September and there were geese lounging by the water.

"I couldn't think of a better way to spend my Tuesday afternoon." He mumbled into her hair, kissing it as his punctuation.

Olivia couldn't help but sigh in contentment. She felt his finger trace from her shoulder to her neck, as he kissed the skin. She tilted her head further, giving him better access. Finally, she wanted to kiss him, so she turned in this arms. He leaned back, pulling her with him so that she was halfway laying on him. She kissed him slowly, but deeply. Her tongue sliding against his and bringing out a low groan from his throat.

Olivia relished in his playful kisses. They progressed to practically rolling around with each other. Olivia straddled him lying down. She arched her back, and for a moment, he thought there was nothing as beautiful as the way the sun framed her loose curls falling around her face.

They heard some kids squealing behind them. Olivia looked up to see a group of kids kicking a soccer ball back and forth, completely oblivious to the lovers entangled on the blanket. She immediately found herself blushing. She climbed off of him and rested her chin on his chest. He ran his forefinger along her reddened cheeks. Why was she being so physical with him? It was their second date and it was like they had been dated for months.

"You are so beautiful." He whispered.

"Thank you." She whispered back, cuddling into him. They spent an hour or so, just talking about themselves. Each wanted to know what the other's funniest childhood stories were, or how they got to be the way they were. "I'm sorry."

"About what?"

"My behavior in class. It was disrespectful and I abused my power."

"Forgiven." He kissed the crown of her hair.

"I can take another look at your essay. I was angry when I graded it." She laughed, embarrassed.

"Don't worry about it."

Olivia lifted her head to look at him. "Fitz… You will have to work your ass off to even get an A- after that grade. I was unfair, you shouldn't have to—"

"I said don't worry about it. I told you I wasn't trying to seduce you for an A, and now I have to prove it. I can survive with a B. It will be worth it."

Olivia was momentarily speechless. She leaned up and kissed the corner of his mouth. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close.

"By the way, your essay _did_ kind of lack creativity." She joked.

"Is that so?"

"Mmhmmm."

"I guess I will have to schedule a lot of office hours with you to fix that." He flipped them over so he was hovering on top of her.

"Maybe I should fail all of your papers."

He continued to kiss her softly, until her phone dinged, causing her to pull it out.

" _Shit_." She glanced at the clock at the top of the screen.

"What is it?" Fitz sat up.

"I need to be getting back. I have an article to write. I didn't intend on being gone for so long."

"Time flies." Fitz winked as he held his hand out to her to stand up. She took it, and he pulled her up and against him. She found herself smiling like a fool, leaning against him, with her hand still in his.

"Fitz, I…" Olivia wanted nothing more than to lean up and kiss him. Her chin tilted upwards.

"Should be getting back, I know." He leaned down and kissed her, accepting her invitation.

"Thank you." Olivia said, searching his face with her eyes. "For today. It was just what I needed."

Fitz just leaned down and kissed her once more. He hoped that he would have many more opportunities to do just that.

/

"You are like a pendulum swinging nowadays." Abbey held her glass out for Olivia to fill her glass as well. "Is it the reason why I think it is?"

Olivia was silent for a moment, as she enjoyed her first sip of wine. Abbey took it as modesty.

"It is 4:00 on a Tuesday and you are drinking, for Christ's sake."

"It is the reason you think." Olivia sighed. "Oh God, I'm fucked."

"He's that good, eh?" Abbey intentionally mistook her words.

"We haven't gone that far, but yes. It is all too good."

"This is the student, right."

"Ugh." Olivia groaned. "Can we not refer to him as that? At least he is older than me."

"Do you have a picture?"

"Nope."

"Do you have a name?"

"Fitzgerald Grant. He's google worthy. Son of the California governor."

"Nice family." Abbey said sarcastically as she scrolled a page of google articles.

"He's different."

"Oh?" Abbey raised her eyebrow.

"He isn't what you would expect of a spoiled governor's son. He's just…" Olivia trailed off, "Wow." She straightened out and let an embarrassed laugh. "You don't have to tell me how ridiculous I sound."

Olivia waited for a quick, snide remark from her best friend, but instead, she got silence.

"Olivia, I love you. And I think it is fantastic that you are finally getting some dick. I mean. It is about time. I just don't want you to jeopardize what you have worked so hard for, especially for one—"

Olivia's phone buzzed, interrupting Abbey's lecture.

 **FITZ:** I can't stop thinking about you.

 **OLIVIA:** I could say the same.

 **FITZ:** What are you doing right now?

 **OLIVIA:** Work;)

 **FITZ:** Come do it at my apartment.

 **OLIVIA:** Why?

 **FITZ:** I miss you

 **OLIVIA:** You just dropped me off!

"Olivia!" Abbey snapped, pulling her attention back.

 **FITZ:** I'm waiting outside…

"Sorry." She smiled. "I, uh… I have to go."

"Are you even listening to me? Liv?"

"Yeah I was. You want me to be careful, and I am." She rose, gathering her bag and textbooks. "Don't worry about me. I don't know how late I will be back, so don't wait up. Just leave the light on."

"Liv…"

"I'll see you later."

Olivia walked, calmly out to the black BMW purring by the curb. As she slid into the front seat, she noticed Abbey peeking from behind a curtain to her bedroom.

"Hi."

"Hi." She let a giggle escape. "How have you been in the last fifteen minutes I haven't seen you?"

"Hmmm, not good."

"Is that so?"

"Unfortunately. You see, I met this incredible girl. I'm talking the total package—brilliant, beautiful, hilarious, charming. I am hooked like a fish. So, naturally, after being blessed with her company all day, I went through something of a withdrawal once she left."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Olivia leaned across the console and kissed the corner of his mouth. "Maybe I can do something to help you out."

He grabbed the back of her neck and kissed her harder. His tongue slipped in between her lips briefly before pulling back. He kissed her nose and forehead, leaving a flutter of butterflies in Olivia's stomach. He leaned back and focused on the road.

/

"Somehow I think you are judging me for the amount of wine I drink in a day." Olivia laughed as he poured her a glass next his glass of scotch.

"I think it's kind of sexy." He sat down behind her on the couch and pulled her body against his. He loved the way she relaxed in his arms naturally. He got quiet and let her do her work, just content to have her petite body against his and the news on low. She worked for about an hour, skimming a text and creating an outline for an article.

As she began to finish up, she reached to pull the pins out of her hair to let it fall freely.

"May I?" He asked.

She nodded, anticipatory as he began to carefully pull the pins out of her hair. He treated each strand like it was silk. When he finished, he set the pins down in a pile on his coffee table.

"This must be so boring. Just sitting here, watching me study."

"Not at all." He pulled her fallen hair to the side and kissed the side of her face. Olivia turned in his arms and laid across his lap, facing him. He ran his hand up and down her back.

"Fitz…" She whispered, bringing her mouth to nearly touching his. "Just… Kiss me."

"My pleasure." He paused for a second, looking her beautiful features up and down, before kissing her. He kissed her hard but meaningfully. Before she knew it, he was lifting her to straddle him. Her back arched, and his hands got the cue to move down to her ass. She was in awe of the way he kissed her—like she had never been kissed before.

She let a moan escape, relishing in the way that his hands responded to her voicing her approval. He bunched her dress up at her waist, and she guided his hands under it. She tried not to shiver from how cold his hands were as he explored her bare back.

Olivia pulled back and raised her arms. He just stared at her for a second, reminding himself that this was real and she was in his arms.

"Are you going to help me?" She bit her bottom lip, bringing him back to the present.

He pulled her dress over her head, and set the white fabric on the couch next to him. He was certain that she felt the stirring beneath her as he stared at her perfect breasts in her nude colored bra. He immediately began to kiss a trail from her ear to the valley between her breasts.

"I want you now." She whispered, tugging his t shirt over his head.

"Your wish…" He aggressively kissed her, biting her lip, "Is my…" He stood, pulling her legs around his waist and supporting her, " _command_." He carried her to his bedroom.

She let him lay her down on his king sized bed. His luxury apartment had a floor to ceiling window with the curtains pulled back, revealing a beautiful view of the edge of campus and downtown. She scooted up the bed, lying out and displaying her body to the maximum effect.

She felt so empowered by the way he licked his lips when regarding her half naked form. She unfastened her bra, tossing it to the side and letting her breasts breathe. His eyes grew steel grey with lust.

"Take you underwear off."

"That is something you will have to do." She shot back with a smirk. Before she could blink, he was on top of her, kissing her tongue hard and rough. He blazed a path down her torso, spending time on each nipple until she was audibly screaming. When he had her panting, her continued down to her navel.

"Fitz…" Was all she could say as he bit the hem of her wet, lacey panties and pulled them off with his teeth.

He stood at the foot of the bed with her completely naked. He took her ankles and spread her out to be completely exposed.

"You are too clothed for me." She moaned, bringing her fingers to her drenched pussy. She felt on a whole new level and she was on a high. Maybe it was the wine she had drank or maybe it was how incredible sexy he made her feel. He let out a deep moan as she began to finger her clit. His pants and boxers were off in a millisecond as he climbed back on top of her.

She brought her fingers to his mouth as he forcibly sucked her juices off of her fingers.

"How do I taste?" She whispered, biting his ear.

"I want more." Was all he could muster as he slid down her and settled between her thighs. He wasted no time laying his tongue flat against her pussy. Her hips bucked forward from the sensation, and he held her stomach flat against the bed.

His tongue was doing shit she didn't think was possible as he made her cum against his mouth. He was slow and deliberate, making sure that she got the maximum pleasure out of each move. Her screams were his encouragement, as he brought two fingers into her, bringing her close to her second orgasm. When he felt her tense up again, he pulled back, reaching to his nightstand and pulling out a condom.

"Pill." She kissed whatever skin of his was exposed to her.

He looked back with doubt in his eyes. He didn't want to fuck this up. It was too serious.

"I _need_ to feel you raw." She moaned against his ear with tears forming in her eyes. Her hand went down to stroke his rock hard cock. "I _need_ it right now."

He halted his motion and slid into her raw, and shifted his hips so she had the best friction against her pearl. Her cry was of pain and pleasure. She clawed at his back, trying to process his size. She was coming twice in a second, screaming his name in a sexy way he didn't think was possible. He gave her a second to adjust before creating a rhythm between them. "Fuck, _Livvie_. You feel so…"

She cut him off by greedily seeking his mouth with her tongue. " _fuck._ " She moaned against his cheek.

"I want to hear you." Fitz nipped at her ear. He was eager to discover who she was in bed. He wanted to know what made her toes curl and what she liked. He wanted to hear her pleasure.

He needed her to come one more time, so he palmed her breasts, and slid out, almost completely, before pounding her to his hilt. Her orgasm was music to his ears, as he let loose, spilling into her with power. He kissed her face affectionately as he collapsed next to her. He wiped a damp curl from her face and pulled her flush against him.

Olivia was absolutely positive that nothing felt as heavenly as his muscular form against hers. She felt a certain bliss that she didn't want to let go of.

/

Olivia woke up at 3:00. She panicked immediately, waking up in a foreign bed. As her consciousness fought the haze of sleep, she saw the face of an angel above her. She was with Fitz. After the most satisfying sexual night of her life. Her body was aching with soreness. She took in his features, remembering how his lips felt on her…

 _He is my student._

She snapped out of it. She literally just fucked her student. Kissing and flirting was one thing, but actually _fucking_ had her in a state of panic. She felt wrong on so many levels. She carefully climbed out of his arms, not disturbing him. She was dressed in a matter of seconds, on her way out. She peeked back in the bedroom, just to see him one more time.

He was lying there, fast asleep. She felt wrong for leaving like this, but it she needed to remove herself so that she could think clearly.

She called a cab to her apartment. Once she got there, she made a cup of coffee, and snuck onto the rooftop of her building. She could still smell his scent on her as she breathed in the night. He was so wonderful. There was something drawing herself to him that she just couldn't deny.

But she was at Harvard. Getting her master's degree. She was his teacher. She could have everything she had worked towards since she was a little girl thrown away because of him.

 _Maybe one day, we could work out_. She smiled at the thought. _Maybe one day, after school is done, we will happen to be at the same hotel for a conference. I will catch him at the bar, and we will pretend to be strangers, going through the motions of introductions. Then I will bid him goodnight, only to slip my room key in his pocket. I will go up to my room and wait for him. Naked. And when he finally comes up, he would call her Livvie like last night, and…_

Olivia had to stop herself there. She would look forward to that day one day, but for now, she needed to worry about herself. And she had to prepare for class in the morning. She put away her coffee and crawled into her bed to try to salvage the rest of the night for sleep.


	3. PART 1: Hold Up

Hold Up—Beyoncé

Hold up, they don't love you like I love you  
Slow down, they don't love you like I love you

* * *

Fitz flicked through his recent calls in frustration. After waking up alone on Wednesday, he had yet to hear from Olivia. No note, like in the movies; no text message; not even an answer to his three missed calls. He was trying not to be obsessive, but he wanted to know why she was avoiding him. He squinted across the quad, to see if she had left the coffee shop yet. He needed to intercept her in person.

When she reemerged with a coffee in her hand, he rose to catch up to her.

"Olivia, can we talk?"

She turned around in surprise, but kept her pace. "I am late, so whatever it is needs to be quick or fit into my office hours."

"Olivia, don't be like this." He grabbed her arm gently.

She kept walking, shaking his hand off. "Office hours."

A biker came out of nowhere, weaving in between pedestrians. Fitz instinctively grabbed Olivia's arm again, and spun her out of his path. She stood there in shock, as he had both hands on her upper arms. They were way too close each other.

"Why did you leave? Why are you ignoring me?"

She jerked her arms away from him. "Do I need to say it?" She tried to continue on her way, but he blocked her path.

"I think so. What the fuck is going on, Olivia? I am so confused."

"You are my student." She whispered aggressively, taking a step back and composing herself. "It isn't right." She backed away, and continued her walk to her job.

"Don't tell me that the other night didn't feel _right_." He followed her closely, his voice low and intense. She would be lying if she didn't feel a chill at his words.

"Mr. Grant, if you don't mind. I have somewhere to be right now. If you have any questions _about yesterday's lecture_ , you are welcome to come by my office hours on Friday."

"Livvie." He reached for her arm, but she moved away.

"Touch me again, and I call DPS."

He stood there, helpless, watching her walk away.

Olivia barely caught the bus, happy to put some distance in between her and campus. As she sat down, she had to fight the tears springing to her eyes. She made the right decision. Putting herself first, meant that she could focus on her school and career. She felt sick, but willed herself to swallow that awful feeling in her throat.

/

 **ONE MONTH LATER**

Olivia was stumbling into the club by the time their uber arrived. Three glasses of wine did her in as she entered the crowded college bar.

"I can't fuck with this right now." She turned around to leave, but Abbey grabbed her arm, pulling her back.

"Give it fifteen minutes, then we can go. _Pleaaassseee._ " Abbey begged.

"Alright, fifteen minutes." Olivia conceded. She grabbed a seat by the wall, and observed the horde of college students dancing and socializing. Abbey had disappeared, with her permission, into the crowd. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, listening to the Drake song loud throughout the bar. When she opened her eyes, she noticed a handsome guy approaching her with a smile on his face.

"I watched you from across the room, and I think enough time has passed for me to assume that you don't have a boyfriend coming back with drinks." He smiled and Olivia would be lying if she didn't find him attractive. "So I figured I might as well." He held out a drink for her.

"Has that line ever worked before?" She blurted. "Oh, god. That was the bitchiest thing I could say. I'm sorry."

He just laughed it off. "It's fine. I think that was just the ego shrinker I needed for the night." He extended his hand. "Jared."

"Olivia." She accepted his hand and the drink, offering him a seat next to her. She took a sip of the drink and almost winced at the amount of sugar in it. It had to be some type of fruit juice and rum. She let him do all of the talking. He was cute, but she wasn't interested in putting forth the effort. Instead, she scanned he crowd, trying to see if Abbey was even visible anymore.

Then she saw him. Sitting in a round booth. He was positioned at the end with a bunch of guys around him. She watched from a distance, as he lifted a bottle of beer to his lips. He seemed so relaxed and at home with his friends. She saw him three times a week, but they were always guarded by the classroom. He never hung around for office hours or came early to class. It had been a month since they had sex in his apartment. She had completely zoned Jared out of her mind when she saw a tall, brunette wearing an incredibly short dress—despite the 45 degree weather outside—approach him. She hung on the side of the booth, vying for his attention. She had to have been under age, Olivia judged.

Olivia watched the mechanics of it. She got his attention. They said their names, shook hands. She placed a hand on his chest while laughing. Fitz was polite, engaging in conversation, and it made her stomach churn.

"Hey…" Jared placed a hand on her lower back. "Are you good?"

"Yeah." Olivia snapped back into the present. "I'm okay."

He gave her a concerned look. "Have you had too much to drink? Can I get you some water?"

She smiled politely, realizing how drunk she must have appeared, staring off into the distance. "I'm fine thank you. Sorry, I'm just really tired. I wasn't in the mood to come out tonight, and you would have much more fun with someone else."

"Do you need a ride home?"

"I'm good, thank you. It was nice meeting you." She patted his thigh and stood, looking around for Abbey. When she couldn't find her, she sent her a text and headed towards the door. She threw one glance back at _his_ booth, and noticed he was gone. The girl, however, was still there. She slid into his empty spot and was leaning on one of his friends.

Olivia decided it was best to go home and hit her bed. She called an Uber once she got outside. It was chilly, and there was still a line to get inside. Olivia walked to the corner of the block to get away from the crowd. When she walked around the corner, she almost collided with him. She reeled back, surprised to see Fitz standing there.

"Hi." She managed, looking up into his deep blue eyes.

"Hi." A bittersweet smile hung on the corner of his mouth.

"I was just… calling a cab." She looked down at her phone, looking at the wait time. Ten minutes. _Great_.

"I thought college bars weren't your thing."

"They aren't." She smiled awkwardly. "My roommate dragged me here, I wasn't planning on staying." She cocked her head and looked at him. "Why are you leaving so early?"

He shrugged. "I needed some air. It was getting stuffy in there."

Olivia leaned against the wall of the building. She felt awkward, standing with him on the side of the road like that. Soon, her mind, hazy from the wine, was spilling out words. "Fitz, I'm sorry about the way I treated you. I was so rude and childish, I can't believe I said those things. I should have talked about it with you and not left in the middle of the night and been such an ass the next week. This isn't high school, and you aren't some inconsiderate hookup. I should have been more considerate—"

"Shhh." He interrupted. "It is okay. I understand. You weren't interested, and that is just how it goes."

Even in her drunken state, Olivia heard the hurt in his words. It broke her heart. "No, but it isn't okay. I hate you Fitz, I really do. I hate you because I can't stop thinking about you. That night, the way you… You fucking possess my mind. I haven't gotten a full night's sleep without you."

She took a step to him and he caught her by her arms—in part to make sure she didn't stumble.

"I can't fucking breathe when I'm in class with you. You distract me and make me feel like an idiot, but that is just because I can't have you."

"You made damn sure of that."

"I'm sorry." She pleaded. "I just want another chance." She pulled him back against the wall with her so that they were pressed against each other. She slid a hand to the back of his neck and pulled his lips down to hers. "I just want another chance." She whispered, as she kissed his lips, lightly. He responded, wrapping his hands around her waist and pulling her into him.

She saw her car pull up, but made no move to stop. It was him that pulled away. His brow was furrowed and he had a look of conflict on his face.

"I don't know if I can do this, Liv." He took a step back. "I want you, but I can't be put through the ringer again. What about when you sober up in the morning and think this has all been a mistake? Are you going to act like you don't know me the next day? Maybe fail me on a test to prove your point? I know this is wrong on paper, but it is right between us. I just need for you to show me you are real about this. Because I can't handle you saying no again."

Olivia stood there, fighting tears. "Fitz, I'm sorry."

"I know you are. I forgive you. But I can't have you go on and do this again."

"I swear, I am—"

"Goodnight Olivia. Your car is here." He walked away, leaving her to enter her car. Olivia leaned her head back in the car and let the silent tears fall down her face. She wanted him so bad, it hurt inside of her gut. She had to prove it to him. She had to earn Fitz back.

/

Olivia stayed up all night thinking Fitz over. She had a tangle of her own feelings to sort out, then she had to incorporate his feelings and sensitivities into the whole picture. Her ultra-type-A personality wouldn't let her sleep until four in the morning. She heard Abbey come in some time before that, but pretended to be asleep, when she stumbled into her room to check on her.

/

Fitz came and sat down right as class started on Monday. He had become the master of slipping in right as Dr. Beene powered on the projector. He no longer sat near Olivia in the back. He chose his seat up front next to Xiao, an international student from China. He listened intently to the lecture, following along with Dr. Beene's lecture. Olivia was in the back of his mind, but he kept pushing their drunk conversation out of his mind.

When class was over, he gathered his things and walked out of the class.

"Mr. Grant." She called him, waiting by the door. "I regraded your paper, like you asked." She held a paper out for him.

"I didn't ask—"

"You made some valid points in my office hours. I really like what you put on _page 5_." She held the paper out until he took it. "If you have any questions about this grade, my office doors are always open." With that, she bid him goodbye and left.

Fitz walked slowly to his car, reading her comments as he walked. It was his first essay that she unjustly failed. She took back most of her comments, but still kept a lot of her valid points. On page 5, she wrote a message between the lines of his essay.

 _Meet me at that park on Tuesday at noon._

He couldn't help but smile at the note. He would be there. He didn't owe her that much, but he would go.

/

Olivia picked a piece of grass off of the blanket. It was 11:53, and she was nervous. _Did he even get the note? Was he going to come even if he did see it?_ She had a full picnic ready with the same thing they ate when he took her to that same spot. She had her apologies and explanations—this time sober—prepared in her mind.

She heard a car pull up to the parking lot, but couldn't will herself to look behind her. She was positive it was him when she heard the person get closer. He sat down next to her on the blanket.

"Hi."

"Hi." She smiled back.

"Here." He handed her his essay. "I told you before that you didn't have to regrade it. I don't want it."

"No." She shook her head. "That is what is fair. I got Cyrus's objective opinion on it. It is fair. You earned that grade."

"Olivia…"

"Listen, I was unfair and wrong. I took advantage of my power because I was scared of you taking advantage of it. I was wrong. I know that you aren't trying to fuck me for a grade. _I know that_."

He took the paper back and nodded. He didn't know what to say, and she didn't either.

"I, uh, brought food. If you are hungry. I am clueless about Scotch, so I played it safe with some beer for you."

"Thank you."

She pulled out the food for them. She figured now was the best time to clear the air, because it was weighing on her like a stack of bricks.

"This is my peace offering. I can't express how sorry I am. I thought that by cutting you off and pretending nothing happened, then I could forget about you. It was my defense mechanism. I thought that since I was in the position of power, it was my responsibility to end things. I didn't realize that I couldn't simply _forget_ you. I hate it, because this is as out of control of my life as I've ever felt. I wish I never met you, because I can't stand the power you have for me. Because of my mistakes, I realized all of this. I just want to give us another chance."

"You hate me but you want another chance."

"If we go into this with rules and guidelines, I think we can make it work. I don't want to hurt you anymore. I will be better this time." She was feeling desperate.

He had yet to respond. Instead of saying anything, he set his food to the side and pulled her into a hug. It was just what she needed. He was warm and all encompassing.

"I forgive you." He whispered into her hair. "And I think a do-over is due."

She pulled back and looked at him with faint tears in her eyes. He locked his finger under her chin and softly kissed her lips.

"So." He pulled back with a hint of amusement in his voice. "What are these guidelines?"

"No running. That one is for me. No hiding or taking out my insecurities out on your school work. That one is obviously for me as well."

"And for me?"

"Secrecy. That is all that I ask. I don't need you running to your buddies about me. I need for our public presence to be completely professional. What scares me the most is how much this could ruin me. I have worked too hard to get to this place, and I can't let anything jeopardize that."

"I understand." He kissed her shoulder. "Is that it?'

"For now, yes. Unless you have anything to add."

"I'll let you know if anything comes to mind."

"Deal."

They sealed their deal with a lingering kiss. "I've missed you." He honestly said against her lips. She nestled into his side, completely forgetting about the food they had laid out.

As she laid in his arms, just like weeks earlier, it felt so right. It felt like she was where she was always meant to be. _With him_.


	4. PART 1: Little Dreamer

Litte Dreamer—Lion Babe

Sleep, little dreamer  
Don't forget to rest your little head  
Play, little dreamer  
Make sure every story has a chance  
To come and steal your heart away

* * *

Olivia couldn't help but squeal as he picked her up once he crossed the threshold of her apartment. They didn't spend long at the park. They had too many feelings to express, and the park wasn't the right place. Abbey was at a literary conference in New York for the weekend, so the place was hers.

Nonetheless, she was laughing as he stood, confused in her living room.

"Which one is your bedroom?"

She kissed aggressively along his neck. "To the left."

He carried her into her room, noting the classy and clean décor, despite the economical apartment. "It…fits you."

"Set me _down_." She moaned into his ear, biting his earlobe. He obeyed.

Once her feet were down on the floor, she backed up against the bed, sitting on the edge. She beckoned him with her finger. He approached, kissing and pinning her against her comforter. She pushed back, flipping them over so that she was straddling him on the edge of the bed. His hands were everywhere, tugging at the neckline of her shirt, gripping her ass. She stood, unbuttoning his shirt and pulling it off his chest, exposing his chiseled torso. She was fully clothed, but she persisted in getting him naked. She pulled his jeans off of him. His erection was distinct against his boxer shorts.

"Take your clothes off." He huffed.

She took a few steps back to undress herself. When he reached for her, she swatted his hands away. _She had a plan in mind_. She kissed form his mouth down to his neck and down his chest.

"Livvie…" He whispered as he realized what she was doing.

The sound of that name on his lips only drove her on. She stroked his erection through his boxers. "I said I was sorry. Let me prove it."

He moaned a deep growl as she pulled his dick out of his boxers. She palmed it for a second, watching his reaction, before swirling her tongue around his tip. His precum tasted bitter on her tongue. Her hand cradled his balls. The way his brow furrowed gave her the adrenaline to continue. She licked his shaft from base to tip, before throating it. His head fell back as she slowly—painfully slow—throated his stiff cock up and down. She fought the urge to gag, alternating kisses and strokes. He intertwined his fingers in her hair, guiding her to a pace.

He moaned out loud as she wrapped her hands around the base of his cock and blew him. She relished in the broken praises he was giving her. He began to tense up for his finish. He didn't want her to think that she had to have him finish in her mouth, so he tried to warn her. She shot him a devilish look, and moaned loudly. The vibrations from her throat around his cock made him come loose.

He came in her mouth, muttering a mix of her name and God's. She swallowed every drop, licking her lip when she was done.

"Livvie." He whispered as she rose to kiss him on his lips.

"Excuse me for a minute." She disappeared into her bathroom to rinse mouthwash through her mouth.

He sat there, trying to collect his thoughts and steady his breath. He would be lying if he hadn't fantasized about her doing this to him, but having her in the flesh exceeded any expectations he could have dreamt of.

Olivia reemerged from the bathroom. Her hair was down, and she had a lustful gaze in her eyes. Fitz was still sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting for her. He took her hand and pulled her onto his lap.

He kissed her softly, his lips re-exploring and rediscovering her mouth with his. He stood with her and turned to lay her out on the bed. He kissed her stomach deeply, breathing in the scent of her skin. She always smelled faintly of coconut. He kissed her sensitive spot behind her ear and pressed his tip against her clit, making him hard again. She moaned loudly, unable to stop her toes curling.

Olivia whispered pleas for him to enter, and he followed her lead. He completely missed the feel of her, as he bowed his head to hers. Olivia opened her eyes too look at him and kissed his lips, passionately. As he found his rhythm within her, he aggressively kissed back. He kissed her so hard that her lips were swollen.

He was reaching such a feverish pace inside of her, that he knew it wouldn't be long for either of them. He slowed down and hitched one of her legs over his shoulder. He kissed the vibrations from her moans as she neared her orgasm. She came with her lips calling out praises into his ear. Her walls clamping down on his cock made him follow closely.

/

Olivia woke up in the middle of the night. The fell asleep around 7:00, exhausted from their exercise. It was now 2:00, and Olivia was wide awake. What a difference it was this time in comparison to the last time. Before, she woke up panicked and disoriented, clawing for a way to remove herself from the situation. Now, she was calm and content. His arms around her were just the right feel. The smell of his body after sex was all encompassing.

She didn't want to leave his arms, but she did feel a pressing need for a shower. Slowly, she removed herself from his arms. She started he shower, and analyzed her naked body in the mirror. It was the same body she had yesterday, but something was different. She felt so much more beautiful and in control. She stepped into the shower and was halfway through lathering her body when she saw the bathroom door open through the steamy shower door.

Fitz entered the shower with her. Olivia backed against the wall to give him room. Her naked body was covered in suds, and she could see what the sight was doing to him.

"I don't like waking up without you." He spoke in a low, sexy voice.

"I was planning on coming back." She kissed him lightly on the mouth.

He grabbed the loofah from her hands and began to finish lathering her body. She sighed into him, bowing her head to his chest.

"Tired?"

"No," She chuckled, "I actually can't remember the last time I got seven hours to sleep. I'm just thinking about all of the work I have to do. You can't fuck me like that so early, and have me waking up in the middle of the night."

"Do you want me to leave?" He asked, calmly.

"No." She cut him off. "That is, unless you want to. As weird as it sounds, I just need to do some homework."

"At 2:00 in the morning?" He asked.

She took the loofah from him, and began work on his body. "Don't make fun of me."

"I'm not. I think it's kind of sexy…" He couldn't stop the smile from creeping across his lips.

She pulled him under the water stream to wash the suds off.

"I'll make some coffee." She kissed the water pouring over his lips and exited the shower.

/

"This is nice." She kissed his knuckles.

"What is?"

"Just…being here with you. No running, no worries about anything else going on outside. I like it."

"I do too." He kissed her temple.

"It is going to be tough on Monday." She said quietly. "I mean, we can't really _talk_ to each other in public."

"It will be hard." He kissed her temple again. "But I think we can do it. Am I allowed to sit by you in class?"

She looked back at him with concern in her eyes. "I don't think that would be a good idea."

"Okay." He nodded.

"I also don't want you coming by my office hours, unless it is a matter related to your school work."

"Okay."

"And no school work during _our_ time."

" _Our_ time?"

"Our time." She repeated, with a smile.

"Is it our time right now?"

Olivia moved her schoolwork to the coffee table and straddled him. He muted the TV, and tossed the remote to the coffee table. His hands wandered up her tank top and down the hem of her leggings.

"The ball is in your court. This could be our time, or you could continue to grade essays. Your choice."

Olivia bit her lip as she looked at his features. He was so handsome, it took her breath away sometimes. When his voice dropped to that certain octave, she found it hard to resist.

"You are going to be the death of me."

"Likewise."

She leaned in to kiss his lips, her tongue softly requesting access. His hands gripped her hips, and his fingers spread towards her ass. She loved how possessive he was with her. Like she was the best thing to ever happen to him, and he didn't want to let go.

He flipped her over, so that she was sitting on the couch, and he was kneeling in between her legs. She immediately felt herself get wet at the way his tongue was softly dueling hers. He ran one hand down the curvature of her body and entangled his other hand in her hair at the nape of her neck.

"Shit." Olivia heard the key turn in the lock, and quickly pushed Fitz off of her. He sat on the couch next to her and watched Abbey enter with her luggage her hand.

"Hi." She said, with an apparent amused look on her face.

"Hey, Abbey." Olivia said, in her most casual voice. "This is Fitz. My…" She realized that she was at a loss for words, not knowing what to call him.

"Boyfriend." He interjected. A sense of seriousness, but also freedom came over her.

"My boyfriend, Fitz." She confirmed.

"Oh, I know who you are." She did everything but wink.

"Okay, Abbey. That's enough." Olivia rolled her eyes in jest. "Don't you have some unpacking to do?"

"Right. Yeah. Okay. Nice to meet you, Fitz. I'll be in my room."

"Bye." Olivia called out sarcastically. Once Abbey had disappeared into her room, Olivia turned to Fitz. "Sorry about that."

"It's fine." He kissed her nose, "But I should go."

"You don't have to."

"I need to." He kissed her on the lips this time, softly and reassuringly. "You need to get some work done, and I need to take care of some things at my apartment."

"Fitz, don't think…"

"You should do your work." He kissed her brow for a prolonged moment, before she insisted on kissing his mouth.

"I would walk you out, but I am kind of not supposed to be seen with you outside of my apartment at four in the morning." She said, light heartedly as she walked him to the door.

"I appreciate the sentiment. Bye, Livvie." He kissed her cheek.

"Goodbye." She watched him leave. When she turned around, Abbey was leaving her room and making a beeline for the remaining coffee.

"Good morning." Abbey poured some cream into her mug.

"I thought you weren't supposed to be back until tomorrow."

"The whole thing was a train wreck. Half of the writers didn't show, so I caught a bus back."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Olivia sat down across from her and refilled her mug.

"I see you enjoyed my absence."

"I did." Olivia tried to hide her smile.

"He's cute."

"Yeah."

"He's your student."

"Abbey, please don't—"

"But he makes you happy."

Olivia paused before answering. "Yes."

"Then okay." Abbey poured the rest of her coffee into the sink. "I've been up since 7 yesterday morning, so I am going to take a nap."

"That's all?" Olivia asked. Usually, she would expect a lengthy lecture or excited string of questions about their sex, but instead she got silence. Abbey's major character flaws were that she was brash and judgmental. Olivia loved her for that.

"I'm happy that you are finding someone." She said with a pause. "I know you wouldn't enter into something stupid, so it must mean a lot to you." She retreated into her room.

And that meant a lot to Olivia.

/

Olivia sat down in class early. She had a couple of papers to grade before handing them out by the end of class. Quinn, a wide eyed English major, came down to sit next to her.

"Good morning, Quinn." Olivia smiled, somewhat thankful to have a distraction. She couldn't help but countdown until Fitz would walk in. Quinn was a welcome distraction.

"Good morning." She smiled back. "Have you graded our second essay yet?"

"I'm in the process." Olivia laughed. "I will hand them back after class."

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to bother you."

"No. it is fine. I was just finishing up."

Quinn rose to take a different seat. Olivia checked her watch. Three minutes until class. Then she saw him walk in. He was dressed in a full suit, probably tailored. She felt herself squirm at the sight of him and forced herself to look back at the final essay in front of her.

After class was over, Olivia stood by the door handing out the essays to her students. Fitz was last in line. He had a knowing smirk on his face, and it was all Olivia could do not to smile back.

"Thanks, Olivia." He smiled professionally, before walking out.

Olivia waited a couple of moments, pretending to shuffle the remaining papers into her briefcase, before bidding Cyrus goodbye and exiting. She was planning on going grocery shopping and other chores once she got to her apartment. Once she got out to the street, a familiar black BMW pulled up beside her. Her phone buzzed.

 **Fitz:** get in.

She obeyed.

"Hi."

"Hi." He smiled as he pulled back onto the road. His suit jacket was tossed in the backseat.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere I can have you to myself."

"Okay." Suddenly, her list of chores flew to the back of her mind. All she could think about was him and his suit, and the way his cologne smelled.

"Today wasn't so bad." He spoke in a low voice. "It was like I didn't fuck your brains out over the weekend."

"Easy for you to say." Olivia couldn't help but laugh at how candidly he said that. "Is there a reason why you looked so handsome today, or were you just trying to torture me?"

He winked out of the corner of his eye as he pulled into a parking garage. "Would it be wrong if I said both? I had an interview this morning."

"What for?"

"A non-profit over in Newton."

"Are you closer to figuring it all out?"

He shrugged, parking on the top floor in the corner. No cars were on the floor. "Not sure. It's just an exploratory venture right now." He brought his hand to her chin, softly stroking her cheek. "But I don't want to talk about it right now."

"You don't?"

"I don't. I have other things I would rather be doing right now."

"Like?"

He kissed her, almost cutting her off. The butterflies in her stomach—that were constantly there in his presence—doubled. She deepened the kiss with her tongue, and he slid his seat back, pulling her across the console. It was cramped as she sat sideway across his lap, but she didn't care. He explored around her neck with his kisses, before returning to her mouth. Her hands wandered around the fabric of his shirt, loving the way his muscles protested the starch of his shirt. His hands were lost somewhere up the back of her shirt.

"Livvie…" He pulled back to stare at her eyes. "Can I take you on a date?"

"When?" She pulled back as well. There was hesitancy in her voice and body language.

"Friday." He said, like he had planned it all out. He leaned in to kiss her again, but she put a hand on his chest, pushing him back gently. "Livvie?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I don't know." She slid back into his passenger seat. "I don't think that would be smart."

"Why not?" He kept his irritation from creeping in his voice. "I'm not going to take you to a well-known part of town. I can be discreet."

"No." She said with finality. "I don't think that would be smart."

He sighed, lightly, leaning back into his seat. She could see the defeat on his face.

"But…" She leaned across to kiss his jaw. "I can cook for us at my place. We can stay the night in."

He turned in to kiss her lips. "Okay." He kissed her more. "But I am cooking. I'm not sure I trust your cooking abilities."

"I can cook." Olivia feigned offence.

"I saw your pantry. Unless you consider popcorn and wine a meal, I will bring the ingredients."

"Okay. Maybe my roommate can cook." Olivia admitted. "My place. Your culinary skills. Friday night."

/

The week went by tortuously slow, but at least Olivia was bogged down with work and school. Fitz established his seat in the front of class away from her. He seemed to be getting along very well with the students in his seating arrangement. Olivia liked it that way. Not having him steal glances at her made it easier for her not to steal glances at him.

Friday evening, he showed up at her door at 5:00. She greeted him with a hungry kiss on the lips.

"Hello, to you too." He chuckled, catching her in his arms.

"I missed you." She kissed his chin.

"You saw me yesterday."

"You know what I mean."

"I do." He shut the door behind her and kissed her with the same fervor. He let her go, taking in her outfit. She wore a fitted white dress. Her hair was swept back into a low bun. "You look beautiful. Especially for a night in."

"I know you meant well by wanting to take me out, so I decided to give you the best restaurant style set up." She motioned to the table setting, complete with candles and a table cloth.

"Thank you." He set his grocery bags down on the counter. Olivia went to put on some soft background music.

"Tell me what I can do to help." She helped him unpack the bags. He handed her a bottle of wine.

"You can pour yourself a glass and go take those ridiculous heels off. Tonight is my treat."

She opened the bottle and poured herself a glass, then pulled a bottle of scotch out of her cabinet.

"I thought you didn't like scotch?"

"I don't. But I won't make you keep drinking wine, so I decided to keep some on reserve for you. My treat."

"Good taste." He pulled a swig into his mouth before chopping some onions.

"Store owner's recommendation." She winked. "So tell me about your day."

"Pretty average until now."

"How was your French quiz?"

"Trés bon."

"Is that all you can say?" She teased.

"Oui oui" Fitz winked. "What about your day? Or week, since I haven't heard about any of it."

"Exhausting. But I'm eight pages closer to finishing my first year research paper."

"Nice. I can't wait to read it."

"Maybe I'll let you proof it when I'm closer to finishing."

"I would love to."

Olivia rose from her seat and went to stand next to him. She intentionally pressed her body against his, causing him to exhale. "Are you sure I can't help you with anything?"

He tightened his lips, and didn't say a word. Olivia saw the game he was playing, and pulled his arm to reach around to her ass. His hand instinctively spread across it.

"Nothing?"

"I think I have it under control." He said through gritted teeth.

" _Nothing?_ " She leaned up onto her tip-toes and placed her mouth dangerously close to his chin. Her body ached for his, and she could tell that his did the same for her. He calmly turned off the stove and pinned Olivia to the wall. One hand held her wrists above her head, and the other wandered down her body, tracing the outline of her breasts and dancing lightly over her pussy.

Her hips bucked lightly into his hand. She wasn't playing anymore. Her chin was tilted up and her lips were parted. He couldn't resist any longer, as he devoured her lips in his, his hand cupped her sex through her hand. He released her hands, which immediately flew to his hair.

His hand went up her skirt, pulling the fabric up. When he reached her thong, he skillfully massaged two of his fingers along her thigh. HE was purposefully avoiding what she was begging to be touched. He smirked at the wetness seeping down to his fingers. She was getting desperate, reaching for his belt, but he halted. Casually pulling his hand out of her panties, he went to wash his hands in the sink and turn the stove back on.

He looked over at her expression as he put a dish in the oven.

"That was just your appetizer." He smirked in his boyish arrogance.

She groaned, taking her seat again.

"Where is Abbey, if I may ask?"

"Not here." She couldn't help but let the suggestion slip into her voice.

"Noted."

"How did you learn to cook?" Olivia asked, accepting a spoon from him for a taste test.

"When I was young, we had this cook that was a beautiful older woman from France. She was probably in her 50s, but I had a crush on her. I would hide away in the kitchen with her, and she taught me how to cook."

"Where is she now?"

"When my dad was elected Governor, she retired back to France to be closer to her grandchildren. I wish I kept in touch."

"Well I hope she taught you well." Olivia turned up the music a little bit. "Is there an estimated time when this food will be done?"

"Patience." He chided, rolling the cuffs of his shirt up. She enjoyed the view.

They made small talk, discussing their weeks and schedules. Olivia couldn't help but feel a weird sense of normalcy in this. They were talking about their days as he cooked their dinner. He put the meat in the oven and set the timer.

"Thirty more minutes."

"That is enough time." Olivia beckoned him to come closer. He came to her, but took her hand in his, leading her to the couch. He sat down, pulling her with him. She landed on his lap, bringing her hands to his face.

"I missed you too."

"I know."

He didn't reply, and instead pulled her mouth to his. She moaned from her core as he aggressively explored her mouth with his softened tongue. She loved the way his hands always splayed across whichever part of her body was best at the moment, like they had a right to be there.

It took Olivia a second to realize that they had stopped kissing, and he was staring piercingly into her eyes. Another moment passed, before she awkwardly cleared her throat and rose up. She didn't have anything to do, she was just feeling awkward with herself. She went over to her sound system and casually flipped through some of the songs.

"Woah." Fitz called from the other room. "Go back two songs."

"You know this song?" Olivia crinkled her brow in surprise as she shuffled back to "Little Dreamer" by Lion Babe and reemerged.

"I actually saw her live by accident in Los Angeles. I was visiting a friend of mine bartending, and she did the open mic."

"I'm jealous."

"Dance with me." He rose and held out his hand. She took it, allowing him to pull her against his body. His other arm swooped around her lower back and she put her arm along his shoulder. They danced with their noses within inches of each other. His thumb rubbed lazy circles on her lower back to the clear vocals of Lion Babe.

 _We are nothing but magic in our head_

"Take off your shoes." Fitz whispered into her ear.

 _There's no time to waste it_

"I'm too short." She looked up at him with a smile. It was true. With her high heels, his chin was eye level, but she knew once she slipped them off, her head would barely be grazing his chin.

"I think it will be fine." He stopped, allowing her to reluctantly slip her shoes off. She stepped back to him, barefooted.

"How do I know you won't step on my feet?" She joked as she put her tip toes on his shoes, elevating her to her original height.

 _Sleep, little dreamer_

"How do I know you won't step on mine?" He winked, "I would never hurt you."

 _Don't forget to rest your little head_

He supported her weight with his arms circled around her waist. She let him sway her. Every step he took, he carried her with him.

The moment was perfect. Time had stopped. All she could even think about was the way their bodies moved together and how his cologne smelled on the collar of his shirt.

Fitz knew it and he could feel it from her. She had an effect on him that he had never felt from anyone before. He loved her. He knew he couldn't say it out loud. He wasn't ready and he was 100% sure she wasn't ready to hear those words from him. Instead, he was content to just feel her weight against his feet and her breath against his throat.

The timer beeped, letting him know he was needed back in the kitchen. She climbed off of his shoes. He kissed her forehead, and resumed his culinary duties. She helped him set the table and felt that familiarity of normality with him.

They ate their dinner over light conversation. Olivia was considerably impressed by the meal he prepared. Every guy she had ever dated was clueless in the kitchen—much like her—so she had gotten used to eating out for dates. Yet, when Fitz insisted on puling his chair to her side, so he could casually graze her thigh with his hand, she realized how nice it was to have a private date.

"How is it?" Fitz took a sip of his scotch as he watched her plump lips curve around her fork.

She chewed slowly, letting a low moan roll from her lips. "I should thank your French lover."

"Maybe I have a future as a chef."

"Maybe." She smiled. As she took a long, complimenting sip of her wine. "Tell me about your time in the Air Force."

"What do you want to know?"

"What you did… Where you went… What you saw…"

"I was a pilot that didn't see much action for the most part. I was in training and spent the first year in San Diego, then was stationed in Italy, Turkey, and Spain for the next four years. Not too much action."

"Then how did you get that scar across your rib cage." It was impossible for Olivia no to notice the long scar stretching around his left rib cage. It looked too intense to have been gotten from a youthful mistake.

"I can't tell you about that." He said with a mysterious glint in his eyes. "I was deployed my final year, but that information is classified and probably won't be released for a couple more presidencies. I got honorably discharged after that happened. I have some medal in an attic in Santa Barbara that my dad cares a hell of a lot more about than I do."

"So you saw some things."

"I was lucky, but yes, I saw some things."

"How do you… deal with something like that?" Olivia said, tentatively. "It is okay if you don't want to talk about it."

"No, it is okay." He reassured her. "I had a support group in my Airforce buddies. I knew what I signed up for. I just had to compartmentalize and move on. Acknowledge what I saw and not let it define me. I saw it ruin too many military men, and I was determined not to let it happen to me. I briefly saw a therapist after, and then I moved on."

"Why did you enlist?"

"It was a part of my father's plan." He shrugged. "His plan was for me to go four years at Stanford, enlist, and then come back for law school, but I wasn't ready for college yet. I wasn't mature enough. He wasn't happy about me going before college, mainly because I wasn't entering as an officer or anything prestigous. I just needed something difficult, because everything had been handed to me so easily."

They finished their dinner over small talk. To Olivia's surprise, she was completely full, and couldn't finish her meal.

"Wow." Olivia sad, as she got up to clear the plates.

"What?"

"I haven't been this full in I don't know how long."

"That good, huh?"

"That good." She scraped the remnants of her plate into the sink. Before she knew it, he was behind her with his hands on her hips. Dangerously close. There was no personal space between them.

"So, I'm assuming you don't want desert?" His hand went around to touch her stomach, and then slip downwards.

"Are you…" Her breath caught in her chest. "…Still hungry?"

"Yes." His breath was hot on her ear. "I'm starving."

"How can I—" He cut her off by spinning her around and consuming her mouth—her being. She found herself fighting for herself against his weight.

"Fuck." She moaned against him. Her hips were bucking against his crotch. His hand found her hair at the base of her neck as he pulled her head back to expose her neck to him. She was at his disposal as he kissed her neck and collarbone.

"Bed." She managed to say, as his hands pulled up her dress.

"What?"

"Take me to bed."


	5. PART 1: Lost In The World

Lost In The World—Kanye West

You're my devil, you're my angel  
You're my heaven, you're my hell  
You're my now, you're my forever  
You're my freedom, you're my jail  
You're my lies, you're my truth  
You're my war, you're my truce  
You're my questions, you're my proof  
You're my stress and you're my masseuse

* * *

 **THREE WEEKS LATER**

The last month had been incredible. They had managed to keep their relationship secret, only seeing each other in the safety of each other's apartment. They just gravitated towards each other in their free time, but were also not offended by each other's busy schedules.

It was early in the morning after one of their inevitable love making. Olivia woke up to find Fitz quietly putting his clothes back on. He was sitting on the corner of the bed and buttoning his shirt. Olivia climbed onto her knees and approached him from behind. She pressed her naked body against his and draped her arms over his shoulders.

"You are leaving me."

"I have a meeting, I forgot to tell you about. I was going to wake you before I left."

Her hands went down to button his shirt for him. "It's Saturday."

"It's an informal meeting."

"Oh?" Her playful tone was errant. She moved her mouth to his ear. "Should I be worried?"

He chuckled deeply, "I would much rather stay in bed with you all morning, than go plan a fundraiser for the non-profit."

"What if I asked you to stay?'

He inhaled sharply as she pulled him back to lie down. She swung her leg over so that she was straddling him, completely naked. He looked up and down her naked form exposed to him. His hands settled on her waist.

"You would have to make a convincing pitch."

She leaned down so that her breasts were grazing his shirt fabric. "How do you want me?" She breathed against his ear.

"You shouldn't have said that." He growled, tightening his hands on her waist. "Unbutton my pants."

She obeyed, unbuckling his belt and sliding his pants and boxers down to his ankles. "Now, what?" She was straddling his abs, and his erection was standing straight up, brushing against her ass.

"I want you to ride me."

"Yes sir." Olivia raised herself up and lowered herself onto his cock. She slowly took him in until it was all she could take. Olivia did this exquisite gasp as she did often when the pleasure was too much. He noticed it often, but wanted her to express herself outward.

"I want to hear you, Livvie. I want to know how you feel—how I make you feel. I want to hear my name."

" _Fitz._ " She called out, clawing at his chest.

He reached up to massage her breasts as she bounced slowly on his dick. She increased her pace, her legs shaking and her moans getting more pressured. He was sure that there was nothing as beautiful as watching her in her fullness, from her lips forming a soft _o_ to the curve of her hips to the sight of where he ended and she began. He could feel the way her walls tensing around him. He sat up, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her neck. He kissed her hard, pulling her bottom lip out with his teeth.

As she hit the peak of her climax, she choked out a breathy "I love you."

Fitz was sure that he heard her, but his orgasm overtook him as he momentarily lost all thoughts from his head. As he came down, she kissed his forehead and immediately vacated his lap.

"Livvie…" He called out, but she disappeared into the bathroom, returning with a damp washcloth.

"Here." She handed him the cloth and wrapped her robe around her.

He cleaned himself up and pulled his pants back up, readjusting his clothes. He was just about to say something, when she spoke first.

"You should go." She walked over to him and kissed his temple. "I don't want you to be late."

Fitz wanted to talk to her about those three words she said, but she was automatically closed off, just by her body language. He just said goodbye and that he would call her later, and left.

Once Olivia heard her front door close, she sighed and flopped back onto her bed. She wanted to kick herself. How could she say those words in the throes of passion? She felt cheap and stupid. She loved him, there was no denying that. She loved him. She knew that he loved her as well. She loved him so much that she should have done him better than cheaply saying it during her climax.

And yet, there was a whole string of anxieties that came along with her saying those words. Love was such a powerful words that brought on so many complications and strings. She could have very well just initiated the beginning of their end. What if he didn't love her back? He didn't jump to say it back. Did he even hear her?

She forced herself to take a shower and wash her embarrassment off of her skin like her after sex sweat.

/

Fitz was walking out of his coffee meeting. With a successful morning, all he wanted to do was go and crawl back in bed with Olivia. Yet, he was cautious. The morning confused him. She told him that she loved him, and then asked him to leave. She acted so strange after their morning sex, that he had a lot of questions shuffling through his head. He pulled out his cellphone and called her. It rang until her voicemail came on. He hung up, without leaving a message, because she was probably busy.

And she was, however intentional she made it. After he left, she was left with such feelings of anxiety and discomfort that she coped with it the only way she knew how: by diving into her work. She put her phone on silent and studied for a couple of hours. After her eyes grew bleak from her textbooks, she went for a swim. That did a lot of good to clear her mind. By the time she showered and returned to her phone at her apartment, she had three missed calls from Fitz and a couple of texts.

She flipped through the texts.

 **Fitz:** Hey, my meeting went great. I want to see you though.

 **Fitz:** You must still be asleep. I'll call back later.

 **Fitz:** I'm trying not to get worried here. Call me once you are near your phone.

 **Fitz:** Remember when we said no running?

Olivia sighed, sinking into her bed. Her stomach sank again. She felt awful. It wasn't her intention to run from him, she just needed some space for herself. She had never told anyone she loved them before, and she certainly never told anyone like that. She reluctantly pulled her phone to her ear and dialed his number.

"Livvie?"

"Hi, I'm sorry about earlier, I… Couldn't find my phone all day." She mentally kicked herself for that excuse. She could have done better.

"You can tell the truth." He sighed into the phone.

"Come over?"

"I'm on my way." He hung up concisely, leaving Olivia with nothing but her chest heaving. She cleaned her room to pass the time until he came. Soon enough, he was knocking on her door.

"Hi."

"Hi." Olivia opened the door and let him in.

"Well?" He raised his palms upwards, asking her for an explanation.

"I am sorry for avoiding you today. I had a lot to do, so I turned my phone off—"

"I don't care about that." He said, bluntly. "I mean, it bothered me, but that is not what we need to talk about."

She raised an eyebrow, wanting him to venture into those uncertain waters.

"I love you."

"Don't say that." She turned away, as a defense mechanism. She found her cabinet of wine and pulled out an already half-drunk bottle.

"Liv, why not?"

She poured her wine into a glass. She was surprised at the feel of his hands over hers. His warm breath against her ear.

"Talk to me. Tell me why you would say those words to me this morning, avoid me all day, and then tell me I can't say them back?" He ran his hand north and south from her ribcage to her hip. "Please, Olivia."

She took a courage-building sip of wine, and turned to face him.

"I'm sorry." She kissed his bicep extended to the counter behind her. "I'm sorry about how I told you. It was cheap and embarrassing. I regret saying it, not because I didn't mean it, but because I didn't want you to think that I didn't mean it because of when I said it."

"So, you love me?"

"Yes."

"I love you too." He said matter of factly, kissing her nose. "And I believed you when you said it, and I love you, not because you said it, but because you are the most captivating, brilliant, beautiful, and incredibly sexy woman I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, and I don't want to lose you."

"Thank you." She laughed at her own words, averting her eyes.

"What?" His hand roamed up her arm to her shoulder.

"It is so funny how much importance we place on those stupid words. It can be stressful."

"Have you ever loved someone before?" He asked in his softest tone. His hand softly caressed her cheek.

"Yes." She said simply, her eyes connecting with his.

"Did you tell them?"

"Yes." Her eyes darted away, briefly, before settling on his blue eyes again, "But I don't want to talk about it."

"Well, I'm glad you are telling me now."

She stopped, and looked him directly eyes for the first time that day. She squared her shoulders and "I love you." Spilled from her lips with more confidence than ever. He kissed her forehead, and she leaned her head into his lips. She molded against him.

"I love you." He kissed her hair and rubbed her back. "And I plan on making sure that you never forget it."

/

Olivia woke up the next morning with the view of a god encapsulating her in his arms. He seemed to detect her waking, as he kissed her forehead.

"Good morning, love." He slipped his hand in between her back and the covers, sliding down.

"Good _morning._ " Olivia giggled into his chest as his hands found her ass. "You are rather chipper this morning." She kissed his jaw.

"Maybe I like waking up to you in the morning." He slipped his other hand down the front of her, stopping on her thigh. He patiently waited for her to grant her access, but she didn't.

"As much as I would love to succumb to your charm, I have to get some work done today, and I don't want to go down that slippery slope." She kissed from his jaw up to his mouth, letting her apology roll out onto his tongue.

"Last time that happened, you did end up confessing your love to me."

She playfully punched his arm as she rose up to get dressed. He tried to get up and find his pants, but her hand on his chest stopped him.

"No, you don't have to go. I can make us breakfast."

"You are going to make breakfast?" He raised a mocking eyebrow.

"I can make eggs." She said defiantly.

"You don't even have eggs in your fridge."

"I can make something." She said defiantly.

"Do you really want to go down that path?" He challenged, enjoying poking fun at her. "Your fridge is dismal. When was the last time you went grocery shopping?"

"I don't have time for that. I just pay Abbey for whatever she gets." She shrugged. "How about, I run and grab us something from next door, and then you can lie around in my bed and distract me from my homework _all_ day long."

"Okay." He reached for his pants to pull his wallet out. He handed her his card, but she didn't accept it. "Use it."

"No. It's on me." She looked for a shirt, in vain.

"Livvie…" He pulled her back onto the bed, and kissed along her face.

"Fitz!" She laughed. "Let me up. I need to find a shirt."

He stopped his assault and looked down at her naked breasts. "I don't see anything wrong with what you have on right now."

"Nice try." Olivia sat up and picked his Air Force t shirt off of the ground. "Consider breakfast payment for this shirt."

"I'll be waiting here for you."

"I look forward to it."

Olivia left to a breakfast café down the street to grab them breakfast. It was a Sunday, so the place was near deserted. Right after she placed her order for two breakfast sandwiched and two coffees, she heard her name being called from behind.

"Olivia! Is that you?"

She turned to find one of her students waiting for their order. Allison was a bright eyed, blue-blooded heiress that was in the same discussion class as Fitz.

"Good morning, Allison." Olivia smiled, suddenly aware of her tangled hair pulled up in a bun, Fitz's t shirt, and her leggings. Allison looked irritatingly impeccable in her pastel co-ord and straightened hair. "I swear, I never go out looking like this mess. I just ran out of breakfast foods and this was the closest place." Olivia joked. She didn't really care for Allison and her know-it-all demeanor, but she felt self-conscious and didn't see a reason to be rude.

"Wait… Do you live in WestCreek Apartments?" She cocked her head.

"Yeah." Olivia smiled, stepping aside to let the next person to order.

"How do you like it? I can't _wait_ to get out of campus housing, but only juniors and seniors can live in my sorority house. ."

"It's nice. But I also have a good roommate, so that could be a part of it."

"Is it a very social apartment building?"

"No, it's pretty quiet. Perfect for studying."

"I actually think that Fitz Grant might live there." She said innocently.

"Really? I haven't even noticed." Olivia felt herself getting warm, but didn't say anything. She just wanted to get her food and leave.

"Yeah, I see him going in and out often on my way to the gym. I'm surprised you haven't ran into him. The building isn't that big."

"I don't spend a lot of time in my apartment anyways, I'm so busy." Olivia shrugged it off.

"Either that, or he is seeing someone there." Allison said offhandedly, and Olivia let that comment slide. Finally, her number was called, and she said goodbye. As she walked up to her apartment, Olivia felt weird after that run in. She knew she was being paranoid, but it felt like they were exposed to some level.

She found Fitz in her bed, just like she left him. She set the coffee and sandwiches on the nightstand and kissed him on the lips.

"What?" He immediately noticed something was distant. She didn't look at him after she kissed him.

"I ran into Allison in the breakfast shop."

"Allison from class?"

"Yeah."

"And?"

"She thinks that you live in my building, because she mentioned that she sees you going in and out a lot."

Fitz remained silent, and regarded her carefully.

"Say something." Her voice rose despite her attempts to remain calm.

"Come here." He rubbed his hand along her back, opening his lap to her.

"No." She exhaled sharply.

"Then tell me why this is bothering you so much."

"Why _isn't_ it bothering you?"

"Because it is just a comment. What does it matter that I am seen around this apartment? I could live here or be visiting someone who lives here."

"Fitz, this is a small apartment building. I was wearing an Air Force shirt. Your car is parked on the street. It isn't rocket science."

"So what do you want me to do?" Fitz sat up. "Because I am not going to end this over a comment in a coffee shop."

"I never said anything about ending it." Olivia looked hurt on a level he had never seen before.

"I'm sorry." He reached for her, but she shot him a warning look. "That was sick of me."

She rose to go to the bathroom, but Fitz knew that walking away from him like this would not help anything.

"I love you." He stood up from the bed. "And I will do whatever you want from me to make this better. But I need you to talk to me and not _attack_ me for trying to help."

"I'm sorry." Olivia bit her pride and accepted his outstretched arms. "But I'm going to need you to _never_ suggest that we are over like that. I love you too much for you to hurt me like that."

"I know. I didn't mean it." He kissed her head. "Now, can we go back and discuss this over our breakfast? In bed? Preferably with you in just my shirt?"

"We can." She smiled as she took her spot on the bed, legs crossed from one another. "I'm sorry."

"Tell me what is bothering you."

"I just got spooked back there. I feel like we aren't being careful enough, but I don't know how to be more careful."

"I know better than to say that you are overreacting." Fitz ran a hand along her thigh. "But I don't think she suspected anything. I think it would be a far stretch for her to put us together. But, I will do whatever you think it will take to make it better."

Olivia was quiet for a moment, thoughtfully chewing her muffin. "I'll get you a parking pass, so that you aren't parking in the street. That should help."

"Thank you." He leaned in to kiss her, and she tenderly accepted his advance.

"I have a lot of work to get done today."

"You are kicking me out."

"Well…" She kissed his nose, laughing at his pout.

He wrapped a hand around the nape of her neck and pulled her mouth to his. He kissed the hell out of her for a solid moment, swiping his tongue along hers. She couldn't help but react. She put a hand on his thigh as she leaned into him.

He pulled back, smirking at the way she looked. Her eyes were half-closed and she obviously wanted more.

"If you insist." He patted her leg and got out of bed to find his clothes.

"Fuck you." Olivia joked, as she threw his shirt at his face. "I'm going to hop in the shower. I'll see you later."

/

Cyrus was sitting at his desk, working on his book. Other than his weekly meeting with his TAs, he had a free day. He was close to finishing his book, and with the finish line that near, he was hungry for its completion. His phone rang, pulling him out of his inner thoughts.

"Dr. Beene." He answered. He immediately sat up higher in his desk.

"It is good to hear from you…

"I'm learning to adjust to the quiet, domesticated life…

"Yes, he has done very well…

"Now you know I can't tell you—

"Oh…

"I didn't see that at all…

"That would be a whole new low for me…

"I refuse…"

"Listen, what two children do is none of my—"

Cyrus sat in silence for a moment, his head reeling at the information being told to him. He cursed under his breath and slammed his hand on his desk.

"No, no. Sorry. That was my secretary dropping something….

"No, she's not on the line…

"Okay…

"This is the last time you ever come to me with a favor like this…

"We are _even…_

"Yes, consider it handled…"


	6. PART 1: Piano Song

Piano Song—Eryn Allen Kane

All we have is time and chances  
Highs and lows, and happenstances  
Why ain't my love for free  
If I, I told you I  
Could build us a house in the sky with one blink of an eye  
Would you make a set of wings and fly?

Sometimes clinging to a cloud isn't as easy as it seems

* * *

Olivia entered Cyrus's office for their weekly meeting. Cyrus had a thick book on his lap. He didn't look up, but instead said a curt, "Olivia take a seat."

"Good afternoon." Olivia said, politely. She wondered why his mood was so short.

He took his reading glasses off and closed the book. "I'm afraid that you aren't going to like the conversation we are about to have."

"What are you talking about?"

"You are aware that when you accepted the job as a TA, you are held to the ethical contract that you signed."

"Yes."

"Then you know that on page 6 there is a section prohibiting intimate relationships with your students."

Olivia felt her stomach drop and resisted the urge to clear her throat. "I don't know what—"

"Don't play dumb, Olivia. I know about you and Grant."

"Fitzgerald?"

"Look. I don't want to be your daddy, prohibiting you from sneaking out to see your boyfriend every night. It is beneath me. I have been in the Oval Office at the president's beckoning at 2am before. I could care less. I don't care if you two are M.F.E.O. but the legal language is there." He ran his hand through his hair, a stressed trademark of his.

"Cyrus, _please_." Olivia felt herself get warm. She could see the door closing on her.

"I don't give second chances."

Olivia used all of her strength to keep the tears at bay. She nodded understanding, already typing her letter of resignation in her head.

"But, I will give you one. Listen when I say that I could get in trouble for not reporting this. You are putting me in danger as well."

"I understand."

"So you know that for me to not report this right now, I require that you stop any extra-curricular interactions with Mr. Grant. I don't want you two to so much as be caught in the same frozen yogurt shop. In addition to that, I would like for you to submit every assignment you have graded for Mr. Grant. I don't want anyone to know about that or the topic of our meeting today."

"Of course." Olivia took a deep breath and composed herself again "Would you like to see my lesson plans?"

"Just leave them with me. I don't think that either of us are in the mood."

Olivia nodded, setting her folder on his desk. Right before she exited, she looked back over her shoulder. "Why are you giving us another chance?"

"Because you are a good T.A. I don't want to lose you over some silly emotions that can be fixed."

The way he said "fixed" caused a lump in her throat, but she just nodded and smiled as she walked out of the door.

Once she left, Cyrus pulled out his phone and dialed an unlisted number. "I did my part." Then the line went dead.

/

Fitz received a cryptic text message from Olivia saying "Come over." He couldn't stop the smirk on his face, as he imagined that this was some type of booty call.

He typed back that he was on the way, promptly closing his school books and grabbing the keys to his car. Within ten minutes, he was using his parking remote to park under her building. When he went up to her room, he wasn't expecting to see her with a bottle of wine to herself.

She was sitting on the couch with her head resting in her chin. When he opened the door, her reaction was delayed, letting him know that she was already inebriated.

"Livvie, what is wrong? It's only noon… Are you drunk?"

Olivia didn't respond, but instead rose and walked towards him.

"Fitz, we have to break up."

Fitz raised his eyebrows out of her statement. It came out of left field and hit him right in the gut. "Liv…"

"Don't make this harder than it is." She went to take another sip from her wine, but Fitz stopped her, removing the glass from her hands. She recoiled from his procimity, walking to the other end of the room.

"Why don't you sober up, and we can have this discussion later." He was worried about her current state. She wasn't swaying, but her eyes were hooded and she had obviously been crying.

"No." She looked at her hands. "We have this conversation now."

"Well, do I get an explanation?"

"Someone found out about us."

"Can I get a name?"

Olivia finally looked up into his eyes. "I can't say."

"So, what, I just accept this and move on?"

"Yes." She was becoming cold and detached now. That scared him more.

He gently grabbed her arms, and approached her. He used a hand to trace her chin. "I love you."

She was too weak to pull away, but he dropped his hand and took a step back, shocked by how dead she felt in his hands.

"So what." His voice became bitter. "I just walk out of here and we pretend that you never loved me."

"We can try."

"Did you even mean it? When you told me you loved me?"

Olivia had every intention of saying no. _Be cold and it will make it easier_. Yet, her head betrayed her as she nodded. He pulled her into his big arms, and she felt safe. Fitz was aware that this was one of the last times he would ever hold her.

"I'm sorry." She choked, into his chest. "I just can't lose this. I have worked so hard to get this far, and I can't—"

"We can make it work." He whispered into her hair. "We can be more careful."

"No, we can't." Olivia pulled back.

"I will fight for you."

"You just don't understand." Olivia looked down at her feet, but her voice raised in intensity. "You have minimal consequences here. If this gets out, you gain some sick 'street cred' for banging your TA. You don't get expelled. You still graduate. In ten years when you are applying for a job, this will not affect how your employer looks at you. They won't see that we were in love. They won't know how we fought it. They will just see me as the tramp who took advantage of her position." Olivia took a deep, ragged breath, "So I think that it is time that you leave."

"If I walk out, then I will never come back."

"Please go."

"Goodbye, Olivia." He kissed her shoulder, letting his lips linger on her shoulder in silence. He wanted to say "I love you." One more time, but he knew it would only hurt her.

Olivia stood there as he walked out. She felt paralyzed. She couldn't even cry. Her sobs were too scared to come to fruition. She just stood there and let the strange numbness overtake her. Eventually, her knees buckled, and she slumped to the floor. She leaned her head against the fridge until Abbey came home and helped her get into bed.

* * *

 **Well, that is it for Part 1. Part 2 will be up shortly, and I will post it all in bulk again. I hope you enjoyed this. Leave your comments below.**


	7. PART 2: Forward

**Thank you for the awesome reviews! I am so happy that everybody is enjoying the story so far. Here is Part 2**

* * *

Forward—Beyoncé/James Blake

Forward  
Best foot first just in case  
When we made our way 'til now  
It's time to listen, it's time to fight  
Forward

* * *

 **TWO MONTHS LATER**

Edison finished up his lunch before putting his hard hat back on and leaving the breakroom. His assistant, Matt, quickly approached him.

"Mr. Davis, the reporter from the Globe is here for the profile."

"What?"

"The article, remember? You signed off on it, and we set it up for today."

"I don't remember but okay. What do I need to talk about?"

"Just the plans and our firm. Very basic stuff."

"Gotcha. Where is she?"

"Over there." Matt pointed to a petite woman wearing white pants and a white parka coat facing the other way. He looked down to her heels and shook his head. _She obviously isn't dressed for the job_. Edison thought. He grabbed an extra hard hat and walked over to her. She turned around when she heard him approaching

"Olivia Pope, Boston Globe."

"So let me get this straight." He extended his hand to hers, "You are the Olivia Pope that wrote that investigative piece about the Mayor's office last year."

"Guilty as charged." Olivia couldn't help but blush. He noticed how beautiful her smile was.

"Wow. The Globe doesn't play around. Edison Davis."

She let his large hand encompass hers in a warm handshake. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Just so I'm sure, you are here to do a fluff piece, right? I'm not secretly being investigated. Because I can assure you our tax record is clean, and we have no tie to any corrupt politicians or mobsters."

"I promise that I am not out to get you." Olivia laughed.

"You are going to need one of these." Edison took the hardhat and took the liberty of positioning it on her head. "Safety first." He winked.

Olivia flipped her recorder on. "Everything from now on will be on the record, okay?"

"Proceed."

"Let's start with you, since you are the golden boy of this site. You grew up in Brooklyn, but went down to Davidson College for a degree in Classics, is that right?"

"Yes."

"Why Classics, and why a small liberal arts college in the South?"

"I wanted to be a high school teacher—don't laugh—and I had some romanticized notion of a quiet and humble living."

"I myself am from North Carolina."

"No way. Charlotte area?"

"Durham. My father was a professor and I graduated from Duke."

"I thought I detected a Southern Accent."

"You are lying. I buried that thing ages ago."

"I guess I'm attentive."

"Back to the article." Olivia picked an imaginary piece of lint off of her coat. "What made you want to be an architect?"

"I took the hard way. I graduated, realized that teaching wasn't going to pay my student debt, so I did the smart thing and enrolled in more school."

"At M.I.T. Not too shabby."

"I took an art class in my undergrad that sort of piqued my interest. At that point, I didn't have anything else, so I figured why not."

"And you've been in love ever since?"

"Well, if you want to get all sentimental on me." He joked.

"This is the biggest project that you have attempted. All eyes are on you. Do you feel the pressure more so?"

"There is pressure involved in every project. You have to straddle the line between art and practicality. On top of that, you have millions of dollars, a board of directors, the city's oversight, and a whole team of workers and contractors that you can't disappoint. But then, you just have this irreplaceable reward at the end."

"Tell me more about the reward." Olivia saw this enigmatic spark in his eyes that she wanted to explore.

"My first project was in Cambridge. Right near Harvard's campus. Are you familiar with the area?"

"Yes, actually, I am finishing my graduate degree right now."

"Fantastic. So you know the WestCreek Apartments about ten minutes off of campus?"

"Oh my…" Olivia laughed in disbelief. "Did you design those?"

"Well, I was a junior associate at the time, so I didn't have the final say, but there are these window seats—"

"In the bedroom." Olivia giggled at his surprise. "This is crazy, but I live there right now."

"No way."

"Yeah. It is weird we have so many crazy connections." Olivia tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, and adjusted her hard hat. "So back to the story about your first project."

"Ah, yes. Well, even with something like that, which I didn't direct, it still means a lot to me. If I ever drive by it, I just think about how I made something with my personal flair and artistry, and people are using it for themselves. It sounds awfully dorky now that I say it, but I think like that."

" _The Artist_. I like it."

A deep chuckle came out of his chest. "You flatter me."

"Tell me about the children's hospital, and why you were drawn to this."

"This project was very appealing to me. It allows for more imagination than a regular hospital. These children have medical conditions that steal some of their childhood. I viewed this project as a way to brighten their experience."

"And how are you doing that?"

"We are just adding a funky touch to the building. There is a lot of asymmetrical structures. We are basically removing traditional aspects and the sterile aspect of hospitals. Our goal is to remove the scary feel of a hospital."

"Once the building is complete, how involved are you with the hospital?"

"Once an architect builds a building, they move on to the next building."

"So not at all?"

He let his warm laugh come through again. "I do like to follow up and see what the owners do with the interior decorating. I will probably visit once it is in business and see the children."

"The Man, The Artist, The Heart. I like this." Olivia winked, extending her business card. "If you don't mind, could you have your office email me the technical dimensions and figures for construction? You know, all of the boring stuff."

"Of course. So you have enough?"

"Yes. Thank you. It was a pleasure to pick your brain." She removed her hard hat handing it back to him.

"Ms. Pope—is it okay if I call you Olivia?"

"Yes." She smiled. "As long as I can call you Edison."

 _Wow, Olivia. Quit being such a goddamn flirt_. She thought to herself.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Olivia. But I feel like I would be a fool to let you leave and not ask if I could see you again."

"That would be a conflict of interest for my article." Olivia felt herself blushing and looking at her feet. He had such a gentlemanly air to him that was innately attractive.

"When is the article due?"

"Friday at noon. You can find it in Monday's paper."

"So, Friday at 7:00 you will be free and there will be no conflict of interest."

Olivia patted her hair down, wondering if the hard hat messed anything up. "You are very persistent."

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes." Olivia looked at her recorder, which was still blinking red. "Shit. I forgot to turn this off."

"Hold on, don't turn it off yet." He took it from her and held it up to her lips. "My number is 617-382-9924. Unless you call me telling me otherwise, I will be waiting outside of WestCreek apartments on Friday night at 7:00." He turned her recorder off and handed it back to her. "It was a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise."

/

"I don't know." Olivia pulled a pair of sweatpants on.

"You say that you don't know, but your hair is curled and your makeup is done."

"I can't. I don't think I am ready."

"It has been two months." Abbey sat on the edge of Olivia's bed. "Plus, it is 6:15 and it would be rude to cancel now."

"Maybe you are right."

"I am. And that black dress hanging in the back of your closet is also right."

"I can't wear that. That is the dress I wore on my first date with—"

"Don't say his name." Abbey cut her off, seeing where she was going.

"I can't wear that dress."

"Then wear the white one. You always looked best in white."

Olivia took a big breath. "Okay. I will wear the white one. And I will go, only because it is too late to cancel."

"Good girl." Abbey left Olivia to get dressed. Forty five minutes later, a Lexus SUV pulled out in front of the apartment building. Edison got out of his car and waited on the passenger side. He felt a little awkward, because he only had her work email, and had no idea of whether she would come out, but she did. Dressed in a white trench coat and a white dress peeking out underneath, She exited her apartment building.

"Olivia, you look beautiful." He pulled her in for a friendly hug.

"Thank you." She smiled as he opened her car door and helped her inside of the warm vehicle.

"How was the article?" Edison asked as he pulled the car back onto the road. "You didn't villainize me, did you?"

"No, I actually think it came out pretty flattering."

"Can I read it?"

"In Monday's paper for $2."

"That is a steep price."

"The newspaper business is dying. We have to hustle to get by." Olivia winked.

And the date began.

Throughout the fine dining experience and long drive home, Olivia couldn't help but compare him to Fitz. There was no suggestive kisses at the restaurant, no sense of danger, no thrill… but it was nice. She needed to take things slow. She found Edison very attractive, but in a more calculated way. He was safe. He was the type of boy she would have been proud to bring to Church back in North Carolina and have all of the old ladies in the church fawn over after the sermon. He was marriage in two years with a down payment on a townhome in Southend. He was a steady 9-5 with the company's Christmas Party being their idea of fun. He was a dog purchased conveniently right after their marriage like a test run for a baby.

And maybe she needed that. He was warm, funny, had a sexy deep voice. His hand on her back, leading her out of the restaurant did not incite fireworks, but it was welcomed.

Olivia found herself questioning her mental sanity. Why couldn't she be excited with Edison? They had chemistry, they just didn't have _chemistry_. Was she hell bent on the downward spiral of an adrenaline junkie?

When he pulled up to her apartment building, her got out to walk her to the door.

"I had a great time." Olivia stopped at the door. She could see their breath mingling in the frigid air.

"I would like to see you again, Olivia."

"I would like that too."

And then, as to be expected, her put a hand on her hip and pulled her closer. His other hand cupped her chin and pulled her in for a kiss. He was a good kisser, she couldn't deny. He softly kissed her lips four times, and for the first time that night, Olivia didn't have Fitz on her mind.

When he pulled back, Olivia had a soft smile on her face.

"Well, I look forward to doing that a lot more in the future."

"Can't wait." Olivia kissed his cheek and then exited into her apartment.

/

And just like that, Olivia started dating again. Fitz slowly faded from her mind. She had a great internship, a great GPA, a great TA job, and a great relationship with a loving man. Olivia made love with Edison after their seventh date. On the fifth date, he tried, but she told him she wasn't ready, and he was okay with that.

She discovered many facets to his personality. Despite living in Boston, one of the most fanatic sports cities, he was a Yankees and Nets fan to the core. He had compromised with the New England Patriots, admitting that Tom Brady was _the man_.

His parents were alive and well, now retired in Connecticut. He had great relationships with them, and visited often. He surprised her with flowers every now and then, and she dropped lunch by his office just as frequently.

After three months, Edison told her that he loved her. He also told her not to be freaked out—he didn't expect her to tell him the same. She didn't in fact feel the same way. Once again, she couldn't help but want to compare him to Fitz. She loved Fitz fiercely, but maybe all love wasn't meant to be that strong? Maybe the quiet safety of Edison's arms were what love really was. Two weeks after he told her, she repeated the phrase back, much to his satisfaction.

Then he took her to visit his parents in Connecticut, and she felt so welcomed there. It was like a Norman Rockwell-Thanksgivings Every Night type of deal. On April 19th, Edison took Olivia to the first post-season matchup of the NBA Playoffs between the Celtics and the Nets. Olivia didn't necessarily care about sports, but she enjoyed supporting Edison's teams, and the energy of the games.

He had scored great seats, a couple rows back from courtside. His reasoning for the splurge was that the Nets would probably never make it to the Playoffs again. Also, because there was this sizable diamond ring in his pocket. He knew it was early in their relationship, but to him it felt so right.

"What do you want to drink?" Olivia asked, once the first quarter ended. "My treat."

"I'll have a beer." He kissed Olivia's cheek. "Thanks, Liv."

/

According to the ratio of Greater Boston Area residents to fans attending the stadium that day, there was a 0.003% chance that s _he_ would end up there, two people in front of her in the line. Fitz did a double take, wondering if the petite woman in front of him could actually be Olivia. She was the same height, same hair (although a little shorter), and the same demeanor. She was wearing a Nets jersey, so it obviously wasn't her. She couldn't care less about sports. He dismissed it, until she pulled her phone out to check a message. He stepped out of line a bit to look over her shoulder. He had to overlook, as he saw that it was from Abbey.

 **Abbey:** When are you going to be home?

 **Olivia:** Probably around 1 depending on traffic.

 **Olivia:** Don't wait up.

 _Shit_. He thought. He knew he had to say something.

"Hello, Olivia."

Olivia's heart stopped. She knew the voice, the deep vibrations through her body. She slowly turned around to see the one person she prayed wasn't there. Yet, there he was. In a green sweater and khakis.


	8. PART 2: Message

A Message—Kelela

I needed an answer  
Sending you a message  
I should have known better  
You never satisfied your love  
You don't even see me  
Are you even breathing?  
I should have known better  
So I'm gonna let your body go for sure

* * *

"Hi." She said, tentatively. Awkwardly. "I can't believe this. Since when do you like basketball?"

"I am here for a networking opportunity. What is your excuse?"

"My boyfriend." She choked out as normal as she could. "Is a Nets fan."

"Boyfriend?" Fitz's eyebrows rose to his forehead. "How long?"

"Four months."

"Are you happy?" He blurted out, immediately kicking himself mentally.

"Fitz…"

"Sorry. Don't answer that."

"Yes." Olivia looked back at the line to see if it had moved. It hadn't. "I am happy."

He searched her face for any sign of a lie. "I'm happy for you then."

"So, uh, where are your seats?" Olivia desperately wanted to change the subject.

"About halfway up, mid court on the home side. What about yours?"

"Four rows back, mid-court, on the visiting side."

"Well done. Those are nice seats." Fitz motioned for her to move up in the line.

"Yeah, my boyfriend is a huge Brooklynite, so this game was pretty important to him." Olivia felt awkward for bringing up Edison again. _We have both moved on, right?_ "So how have you been? How have your studies gone?"

"Well. Over the summer I'm interning at the state senate."

"Wow, good job." Olivia commended. She was next in line, and if she was being perfectly honest, she didn't want to linger around Fitz. Appearances were just that, and she wondered how long it took for him to get over her. "So you are locking down into the political arena."

"Yeah. I think I've decided on it. I just have to figure out if I want to stay here or move back to California."

The vendor impatiently called for the next in line.

"I hope everything goes well for you. I'm glad to see you are doing well." Olivia ordered her drinks and nodded goodbye to him. As she walked back to her seats, she couldn't help but feel awful. She pushed her feelings deep down and focused her attention back to Edison.

"Here, you go." She handed him his beer as she sat down next to him. "Sorry it took so long. The line was so long and I ran into an old friend."

"No worries." He kissed her cheek and rested a hand on her leg. "The Nets might just come back. Lopez is really getting into his groove."

"Good." Olivia took a generous sip of her wine. "Hopefully once we win, the fans won't be too rude to us."

"I wouldn't get your hopes up." He winked and leaned in for a kiss. He was being unusually affectionate tonight. Olivia couldn't help but search Fitz area, until she found him seated with some other men. Probably Politicians, she thought.

Fitz was watching her too. He watched as the man that was obviously her boyfriend made her laugh. Then this handsome black man with a stately presence leaned in to kiss her. Olivia seemed happy. Perfectly content in her life. But as soon as the kiss ended, he noticed her eyes search his section until they found his. He looked down, ashamed for staring.

It was third quarter, with five minutes left to the quarter. The score was 87-75 with the Nets defying the odds placed against them. Edison couldn't have been more into the game, and Olivia was happy for him. Her support was behind Edison and the Nets, but her eyes kept wandering to Fitz. She knew where his mind was, because she kept catching him staring directly at her. She felt cheap and low for flaunting her relationship in front of him.

A timeout was called. The NBA producers automatically cut it to commercial break, and the kiss cam fanatics began. Olivia usually didn't like this part, because she feared that she would be put on the screen. Out of the few games her and Edison had attended, it had yet to happen.

She watched the camera go from one couple to the next, until it settled on her and Edison. Olivia laughed, bringing a hand to her face to hide her rising color. She turned to Edison to do what everybody was cheering for them to do. He was not leaning in to kiss her, but holding up a tiny velvet box with a beautiful ring in it.

"Edison…" Olivia whispered, as her jaw dropped in shock. Tears pricked her eyes.

"I know that it is soon, but I also know that it is right. I love you, Olivia. Make me the happiest man in the world."

Maybe it was the crowd cheering or the camera blowing her face up thirty feet or that she was trying to convince herself that Edison was the one and push any lingering feelings for Fitz out, but she said yes.

The crowd's cheers became deafening as he pulled her in for a kiss. By the time he was slipping the ring on her finger, the kiss cam moved on and everybody's attention had died out. Olivia looked at the dazzling diamond on her finger.

"It was my grandmother's. I wasn't sure about the fit, but we can get it resized, if you want."

"No, it's perfect." Olivia wiped a tear and watched its sparkle. She kissed him tenderly on the lips and settled into the crook of his arm as they watched the rest of the game. Olivia completely forgot about Fitz across the arena. When she looked for him, his seat was empty. She knew why he left, although she prayed she wasn't right.

Olivia snapped a picture of her ring and sent it to Abbey.

 **Olivia:** Scratch that. I think that I might stay over

Before she could read the excited message that Abbey replied with, there was that voice again.

"Olivia."

She looked up to see Fitz standing there smiling.

 _Shit_.

"Fitz. What are you doing?" Olivia tried to keep her voice calm and collected for everyone's sake.

"I wanted to come congratulate you and meet the lucky man." He pulled her in for a seemingly innocent hug, but it pained Olivia to be that close to him.

"Edison, this is the old friend I mentioned that I ran into. Fitz this is my fiancé." The last word felt so weird on her tongue.

"It's a pleasure, man." Edison extended his hand. They went on commercial break for the final quarter, so Fitz wasn't in anyone's way standing there talking to them. "So how do you know Olivia?"

"He was my student, actually." Olivia piped up, worried about what Fitz would say.

"Fantastic. So you go to Harvard."

"Yes sir. Olivia's class was my favorite."

Edison let a hand rest on Olivia's hip, possessively pulling her against him. "She is good at her job."

"Anyways, I just wanted to drop by to congratulate you. I was heading out. My friends aren't too happy with the lead and they are a little too drunk, so I need to remove myself from the situation."

Edison extended his hand to Fitz. Instead of hugging Olivia again, he kissed her cheek. He heard the tiny gasp come from her lips that gave him all of the information he needed. _She wasn't over him_.

"Maybe I'll see you around campus." With that he left.

"He was nice." Edison commented as they sat back down.

Olivia suddenly felt sick. She tried to focus on the game, but her stomach was in a freefall. She didn't fall back into Edison's arm like before. She leaned forward and rested her chin in her hands. She was trying to keep face so Edison didn't ask why Fitz got that reaction from her, but she couldn't help herself.

"Olivia." She felt his concerned hand rub her back. "What is wrong?"

Olivia straightened up, blinking back what was left of her tears. "Nothing, I just think that I have a lot of adrenaline pumping through me right now. I'm starting to feel funny."

"Your hands are clamming up." Edison took her hand in his.

"I hate to be a bad sport. I know how much this game meant to you, and I don't want to make you leave early, but I think I should go home. You can stay if you want."

"We can go if you don't feel well." Edison pointed to the scoreboard. "I don't think anyone here anticipated the Nets fans to be leaving early because we have a 15 point lead."

"I love you." Olivia smiled at his understanding.

"I love you too." He took her hand and led her out of the stadium.

In the car, Olivia had her hand intertwined with Edison's but her mind couldn't have been further from him.

"Your place, or do you want to spend the night?" Edison asked, once they had pulled out of the parking garage. Olivia knew the true question behind his words. _Are we fucking tonight, or not_. She almost said her place, but then she thought about Abbey waiting for her with questions.

"Your place." Olivia said. Kissing his knuckles. She would just have to tell him she wasn't in the mood once she got there.

The conversation was mainly dead in the car. Edison traced her engagement ring with his thumb, adjusting to the new addition to her hand.

"Do you want to call your father?" He asked. "My parents have been begging me to propose to you ever since they met you. They were already in the loop."

"It can wait until the morning."

When they got back to his apartment, Olivia immediately went to change into her pajamas. She put on one of his MIT t shirts and some pajama shorts. She was in the middle of washing her face when she felt him behind her. He kissed her shoulder and waited for her to finish. She turned around and threw her arms over his shoulders.

"I am so lucky." He whispered, leaning in to kiss her. Olivia kissed him back, softly sucking on his tongue. He pulled the hem of his t shirt up her body, but her hands stopped him.

"I'm not in the mood, Edison." Olivia pulled back. Her hands went to his chest, but his stayed on her hips.

"Why not?" He asked with an air of frustration.

"I told you, I don't feel well." Olivia said in a tone that warned him to press further. She moved past him and went to crawl in bed. He didn't question her, flicking the lights off and following her to bed. Olivia felt him wrap his arms around her, and tried to find that safety blanket in his arms.

/

"Why the fuck would he do that?" Abbey flipped a pancake angrily, serving it to Olivia's plate.

"I don't know, I think it was some kind of closure thing for him. Or maybe revenge."

"It was fucked up, that is what it was." Abbey flipped the final one to her own plate, sitting down across from Olivia. "So you are going to marry Edison."

"Yep. I guess I am." Olivia took a sip of orange juice.

"I don't think that I am ready to be the only non-married friend."

"You know David would marry you right now if you asked."

"I don't want to grow up yet."

"Me neither."

"Are you sure that you want to marry Edison?" Abbey asked, bluntly. "Because you are about as convincing as a brick wall."

"Of course I do." Olivia corrected her tone and stopped twirling the engagement ring around her finger. "Marriage has always fit into my plans, and I couldn't ask for better husband material than Edison. I love him and we are supportive of one another. Our goals and ambitions align."

"You love him, but one encounter with Fitz, and you are thrown into this existential funk."

"I still have feelings for Fitz. Can't I love Edison and still care about Fitz? I mean loving someone else doesn't automatically erase all of the guilt I have felt for how things ended."

"You are awfully defensive right now." Abbey didn't mean to keep digging at her, but it kept coming out.

"Because you are attacking my boyfriend and I—" Olivia let some venom seep into her voice.

" _Fiancé_." Abbey corrected.

"Goddamn, leave me alone." Olivia rolled her eyes, taking her breakfast to her room. "And thanks for the pancakes."

Once safely inside her room, Olivia pulled out her phone to call her father. Her father was a good man, but they were never close. When her mother died in a car wreck when Olivia was eight, Eli Pope was incapable of giving Olivia the proper affection. He loved her, sure. It just took her a while to realize that his way of showing his love was providing for her. She didn't visit often, and every time she called it was naturally awkward. But she understood that was just the way that he was, and they still loved one another.

"Hello, Olivia." His voice came through the phone.

"Hi, Dad." Olivia took a deep breath, unsure how to tell him. "I have some news."

"Good or bad."

"Good." Olivia twirled a piece of pancake on her fork. "You know that I have been dating Edison for a couple of months…"

"The architect?"

"Yes. Well he proposed last night, and I said yes."

There was an uncomfortable silence on his end. "So you are engaged?"

"Yes, isn't it weird?"

"You have only dated him for like a month."

"We have dated for four months. I know it is soon, but we are a good fit."

"Do you love him?"

"Yes." Olivia was getting sick of people asking her this.

"Then how come I haven't met him yet?"

His question caught her off guard. She stuttered over her excuse. "Well, we have been busy with our own careers, and it is a long drive."

"Have you visited his parents?"

"Yes, but Connecticut is only two hours away." Olivia felt herself getting defensive a lot recently.

"Durham is a two hour plane ride."

"Look, I'm sorry. We can schedule a visit if you want. Maybe once school is out."

Eli was silent again, and Olivia found herself squirming in her seat.

"We will check our schedules and get back with you." Olivia spoke up again. "I know that you don't approve right now—"

"I never said that."

"Well you haven't congratulated me yet, either." Olivia snapped. "I'm sorry, dad. What I was going to say was that I think your mind will change once you meet him. Edison is a great man."

"If you are happy, then I am happy for you."

That was not the first time someone said this to her in the last twenty four hours.

"I am, and I am actually late for my class. I love you, and I have to go."

"Goodbye, Olivia."

/

"Big" Gerry Grant was in town for the night. Fitz always hated when he came to town, but he always profited a steak dinner and some pretty daughter of one of his friends that would conveniently tag along. Tonight that pretty daughter's name was Mellie. She was majoring in Art History at Wellesley College and had very thick brown hair perfectly curled. She was the daughter of an owner of some luxury hotels up the New England coast that was considering expanding to the West Coast. Even though his father hadn't been the governor for ten years, he still had considerable power and was a mentor to the current governor. This deal going through would gain him even more power and wealth.

What did Mellie have in common with Fitz? That they were both born with a silver spoon pierced to their tongue. And that was about it. He gave her an A for effort, though. She could play her cards. She was smart in all things nonessential. She could keep up a great conversation. She initiated physical contact at the appropriate times: a hand to his arm mid-laugh; using her napkin to wipe his mouth of some unexpected sauce; her fingers grazing his as she asked him to pour her some more wine. She was killing it, if only he didn't see through her act from the beginning.

Yet, he entertained her. Made it seem like he was falling for her as if she wasn't the fourth time his father tried to pull this on him. He thought through how he would break it to her that she was a pawn. Maybe at the end of the dinner, he would offer to drive Mellie home—just to please Big Gerry. Once he got to the door of her dorm building, he would run her through the reality of the situation, pat her on the shoulder and leave. Word would probably get back to his father by the time he started his car up to drive home.

He smiled to himself as he took a sip of wine. That would be the way to go. He got lost in his thoughts, before Mellie pulled him back to reality.

"So, I bet Harvard is swarming with beautiful, brilliant girls. I'm surprised one hasn't tied you down yet." She let her hand "accidentally" graze his knee under the table.

"Harvard girls have nothing on Wellesley girls." Gerry joked across the table. "He's as single as can be."

"I actually just left a pretty serious relationship." Fitz said honestly, still using his charm.

"Oh, I am so sorry." Mellie put her hand on his arm in compassion.

"Don't worry, Darling. That was just a fling he had." Gerry dismissed.

Fitz's eyes flashed to his father, wondering if he was talking about Olivia. How could he have known?

"She wasn't the _type_ of girl Fitz was going to marry." Gerry's eyes met Fitz and Fitz saw red. He knew. And now he knew that Fitz knew.

Fitz sat there, stunned, as he tried to figure out what to do. He didn't want to make a scene in front of company, but he couldn't stand to be in his father's company anymore. He calmly rose, tossing his napkin in his seat.

"Now, boy." Gerry's voice was slick and condescending. "Don't be rude. Why are you leaving? You haven't even finished your steak."

"It was a pleasure to meet you." Fitz extended his hand to Mellie's dad, then turned to kiss Mellie's hand, keeping her hand in his. "And Mellie, you are smart and beautiful but we both know what you are playing here. Find yourself a relationship that is not conceived solely for your father's business success. You are way too smart to be a corporate whore." She gasped, pulling her hand back and wiping it with a napkin. "As for you, Dad. Go fuck yourself."

He downed the rest of his wine and promptly left everybody speechless.

Once in his car, he realized that, combined with his current emotional state, he had too much to drink to drive, so he pulled over to a park. He got out of the car, leaving his coat in the passenger seat. The air was bitingly cold, but he didn't care. He blamed it for the tears forming in his eyes. He leaned against the hood of his car and put the pieces together.

His father was a racist. _Okay, he already knew that._

His father knew about him and Olivia, but didn't tell him.

Olivia broke up with him because of an unknown person threatening to expose them.

After their break up, Big Gerry started scheduling more trips to Boston, bringing perfectly polished women his age.

The pieces fell together and Fitz ran a hand through his hair. An unexpected tear fell down his face as he pulled his phone out. Without thinking, he dialed Olivia's number. The second it rang, he hung up, kicking himself for trying that.

 _She was engaged_. He reminded himself. _She was happy—wait—remember how she gasped when you kissed her cheek? And the look in her eyes that screamed hurt._

He pulled his phone out again and dialed her. This time, he let it ring.

/

"Okay, so tell me what to do." Olivia finished washing her hands, removing her engagement ring in the process.

"Take some flour and sprinkle it onto the counter." Abbey set the oven to pre-heat as Olivia did as asked. "Now take that dough and knead it."

"Knead?"

"Do you seriously not know what kneading is?" Abbey rolled her eyes in good nature and took the dough from her hands. "Just take it like this and push it down and out, then bring it back."

"Okay, I've got it." Olivia put all of her concentration into not ruining it. Abbey agreed to teach Olivia some of her favorite dishes so she could surprise Edison later on.

Her phone rang, and Olivia immediately went to pull it out of her pocket. By the time she wiped her hands, it was a missed call.

"That's weird. Who was it?" Abbey asked.

Olivia just held up the phone for her to see. _1 missed call from Fitz Grant_.

"He probably but dialed you by accident." Abbey dismissed it. "Now get back to kneading."

Olivia left her phone on the counter ad she went back to her task. After a couple of minutes, the phone rang again. This time, he didn't hang up. Olivia looked at it on the counter with her flour covered hands.

"Don't—" Abbey began, but Olivia already had the phone up to her ear. Abbey tossed her an _are-you-crazy_ look but Olivia waved her off.

"Fitz?" She asked with uncertainty in her voice.

"Hi, Olivia." He managed to say. He tried to find the right words as an uncomfortable silence fell.

"Why did you call?"

"I know this isn't fair, and you reserve the right to hang up on me at any moment, but we need to talk."

"What do we have to talk about?" Olivia was wondering if this was some sick kind of joke.

"I would rather tell you in person. Please, Livvie. Trust me on this."

The way he said Livvie made her flinch. She was so silent for so long that he thought she hung up.

"Where are you?"

"I'm downtown, but I can come over or meet you wherever." His head was clear enough for him to drive.

"Meet me on the quad on campus."

"Perfect. I can be there in twenty minutes. Thank you."

Olivia didn't say anything, she just hung up. She stood there in silence, asking herself what she just got into.

"Liv, what the hell was that?"

"He wants to talk."

"Of course he does." Abbey went back to cooking. "Conveniently after finding out that you were engaged."

"It sounded serious." She paused, knowing that his voice rarely got that way.

"It sounded like a fucked up way to mess with your mind."

"Can you just reserve your judgment for a hot second?"

"So I guess I'll be cooking this all on my own?"

"Sorry. We can just pack everything up and continue tomorrow?"

"No, it's fine. Forget about it." Abbey rolled her eyes out of Olivia's view.

Olivia didn't have time to try to sort that attitude out, as she took the fifteen minute walk to the quad in the middle of campus. She chose that location because it was neutral and she couldn't quite stomach Fitz being in her apartment yet. Plus at night, campus was pretty empty.


	9. PART 2: Sandcastles

Sandcastles—Beyoncé (Sorry for all of the Beyoncé lyrics, I'm just not anywhere near to being finished with this album)

Dishes smashed on my counter  
From our last encounter  
Pictures snatched out the frame  
Bitch I scratched out your name  
And your face  
What is it about you?  
That I can't erase baby  
When every promise don't work out that way  
No no baby  
When every promise don't work out that way  
And your heart is broken  
Cause I walked away  
Show me your scars  
And I won't walk away  
And I know I promised that I couldn't stay  
Every promise don't work out that way

* * *

He parked on the edge of campus and walked over. She saw him from a distance. He was dressed very sharply in a suit.

"Hi." He said, sitting on the bench next to her.

"Hi." She said, trying not to let his proximity affect her. "What did you want to tell me?"

"I need you to tell me who found out about us. Who made you break us apart?"

"Fitz…"

"This is very important."

"It was Cyrus. Professor Beene told me that he had concrete proof of us."

"Shit." Fitz ran a hand through his hair. That action alone struck pain in Olivia's heart.

"What?" Olivia felt herself getting frustrated. Every second near him was a dagger into her soul.

"I found out tonight that the asshole of a father that I have actually knew about us."

"And?"

"It was him that broke us up. He and Cyrus go way back. There was some scandal that happened under the Bush administration that my dad helped Cyrus cover up. There is some imbalance between them, so I have no doubt it was a favor."

"How did he find out? He was in Santa Barbara the entire time we were together."

"I guess he hired someone to find out. I wouldn't put it past him."

Olivia was silent at this information. "So what does it matter?" Fitz looked up at her. She had tears in his eyes. "Why bring up something that hurt us so much. I have worked so hard to move on."

Fitz saw how much this conversation was hurting her, but he had to get one final thing off of his chest. "Because I love you. I still do. I have waited six months for an opportunity to make it right to you. I have waited for you. I'm not your student anymore. You aren't my TA anymore and I am not your student. I am never going to talk to my father again. I want to make it up to you, since I have caused so much hurt."

Olivia was no pleading with the tears in her eyes to stay in their place. "I'm engaged."

"Then where is your ring?"

Olivia looked down at her bare hand. "I took it off to cook."

"You don't cook." He said with little humor.

"People change." They both knew the double meaning of her words.

"You don't love him."

"You have no right to say that."

"But you didn't correct me."

"I love Edison." Olivia stood, trying to end the conversation.

"I don't believe you."

" _Why_ do I have to keep defending myself?" Olivia threw her hands up. Tears were now flowing freely down her face "How come every fucking time I say those words, someone has some hyper analysis of the way I said it and some unsolicited opinion?"

"Maybe it is because nobody is fooled." Fitz stood up.

"Why is it so hard to believe that I could love a man who is kind and caring and protective and supportive?"

"Maybe because love doesn't mean checking off boxes."

"You don't know a damn thing about my love." Olivia charged a finger in his direction.

"How dare you say that to me?" Fitz got even closer. Her finger was a millimeter from his chest. "I know what your love feels like. I know what it tastes like. I know what it looks like. And I sure as hell know what it sounds like. Whatever you have convinced yourself you have with this man is _not_ what your love is."

"Love can exist in different ways." Olivia whispered, shaken by his words.

"Then let me ask you this." Fitz put his hands on her shoulders, bringing her a little closer. "Do you still love me?"

"Fitz's that's unfair." She looked down at the fabric of his tie.

"You owe me an answer." He waited for her to give him eye contact.

She couldn't even choke out a yes as she softly nodded her head. A tear rolled down her cheek, which he caught with his finger. He leaned in, slowly, giving her the chance to back away at any point. His lips softly brushed hers, but neither could resist. She grabbed the lapels of his coat, pulling him closer. Her tongue greedily entered his mouth, and he matched her aggression. She knew it was wrong. She knew that this made her a despicable human being, but his touch was something that made her an addict on top of a cheater. But she couldn't help herself as he slid his hands in between her jacket and shirt, eliminating any possible space between them.

Olivia was just about to pull back for air, when she felt a third person rip her body back.

"What the fuck?" She staggered back just in time to see Edison connect a fist to Fitz's jaw. Fitz flew back into the grass. He immediately popped back up.

"Dude, chill the fuck out." Fitz dodged a second punch to the gut.

"Edison _stop._ " Olivia pulled his arm back, but he shook her off. "It is not what it looks like."

"The days of you telling me what to do are so over."

Fitz backed up again, avoiding another swing.

"I am calling the cops if you don't get the fuck away." Olivia threatened, but Edison connected a fist to Fitz's nose, and Olivia screamed. Fitz few back into the snow, and this time stayed there. He held his hands up.

"Okay, dude. I got the message."

Edison stood over him, shaking the pain off of his knuckles. Olivia put herself in between the two, pushing Edison back. "Edison, it is not what it looks like."

"Return my grandmother's ring to my secretary." He spit into the ground. "Fucking whore."

"Please." She cried, trying to take his hand, but he pulled it away. "Go tend to your boyfriend. He's bleeding." And with that, he left, walking off of the quad and disappearing behind a building.

Olivia didn't have time to cry as she turned to see Fitz struggling to get up. "No, hold on. Relax for a second." She knelt by him. "Where does it hurt?"

"It doesn't."

"Don't be stupid." Olivia rolled her eyes and helplessly looked at his nose, which had blood dripping out.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"

"Shh. Don't talk right now." She brushed an errant curl from his forehead. "Can you stand?"

He nodded, and she helped him stand.

"Give me your keys. I will drive you to my apartment."

"I don't want to impose."

"Shut up, you shouldn't be driving."

He conceded, and she drove him to her apartment. She pulled up to the street, but he pulled a parking pass out of his console. "I feel like an idiot for not throwing this out, but I figured that I might find myself a new girlfriend that lived there, so why waste it."

Once inside, Olivia sat him down on their couch. She made him wash his mouth out, and gave him an ice pack. Abbey came out of her bedroom, hearing voices.

"Oh, hell no."

"Abbey, shhh." Olivia grabbed her arm and yanked her back into the bedroom. "Did you call Edison on us?"

Abbey's eyes widened. "I mean, he dropped by to surprise you, so I pointed him in your direction."

"ABBEY!" Olivia punched her in the arm.

" _Owww._ " Abbey rubbed her arm. "I figured that if you two were just talking, then there wouldn't be a problem."

"Why would you do such a thing?" Olivia honestly wanted to actually physically hurt Abbey. "You have no right!"

"But you do? You are fucking engaged, and you should grow up and act like it."

" _Was_." Olivia was now crying. "I _was_ engaged, thanks to you." Olivia walked out, trying to control her emotions. She walked out to find Fitz putting his coat on.

"I don't think it would be smart for me to stay here."

Olivia tried to keep it all in, but the emotions of the night caught up to her, as she just broke down. Her sobs rattled through her tiny frame.

"Hey, hey. Come here." Fitz pulled her into a hug. He looked towards Abbey's room to see if she had reemerged. "Let's get you to your room."

He guided her to her room, and sat her down on the edge of the bed. He didn't know what to do, as he feared a panic attack was coming on. She put her head between her legs and worried about breathing. Her sobs made it difficult for her to calm her breathing down, but Fitz's hand rubbing circles on her back helped.

"Livvie, let me know if I can do anything to make this better." He whispered. "I love you, and I am here for you."

After a couple of minutes, her crying stopped. She stood and went to the bathroom to blow her nose. When she returned, she found Fitz sitting on the bed with a framed picture of her and Edison at his firm's New Year's party. His eyes flew up to her with concern.

"I'm okay. Thank you." She sat down next to him. "I just have no idea what to do. I just lost my fiancé and my best friend in one night."

"What do you want the most right now?"

"For everything to go back to normal."

"What is something I can do for you?" He narrowed his question focusing on the fixable.

Olivia looked up at him with raw eyes. "Can I sleep on your couch? The thought of sleeping in this apartment makes me sick."

"Of course." He kissed her forehead, despite the pain shooting through his jaw. "Come on, pack something to sleep in."

Olivia got an overnight bag together, and let Fitz drive her to his apartment. It was eerily familiar to her. He hadn't changed a thing. She went to lie down on the couch.

"No, you sleep in my bed. I'll take the couch."

"I don't want to impose."

"I'm the reason you are in this situation. It is the least I can do."

Olivia changed into her pajamas, and curled up in his bed, remembering the memories they created together between those sheets.

/

Olivia woke up sometime in the early hours of the morning, looking at a beautiful view of the city in pre-dawn. She remembered her night before, and Fitz sleeping on the couch. Olivia climbed out of the king sized bed and found Fitz fast asleep on the couch. She kneeled in front of his face and gingerly touched where Edison punched him the previous night. He slowly stirred as her fingertips traced the slight bruise that formed on his cheek. It surprisingly didn't swell that much.

"Good morning." He whispered.

"I didn't mean to wake you."

"Bullshit." He joked, opening his eyes fully. "How did you sleep?"

"Well. How does your face feel?"

"Like brand new."

"Bullshit."

He laughed, sitting up and motioning for her to share the couch with him.

"What now?" Olivia asked.

"Whatever you want." He kissed her cheek.

"Can you do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Just hold me, while I figure my life out?"

Fitz wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest. Olivia rested her head against him and he kissed her hair. He could hear her thoughts whizzing through her mind at one hundred miles per hour. After a few minutes of silence, she finally spoke.

"I can't marry Edison."

"Then you need to return his ring."

"He deserves better—despite how he acted last night."

"You both do."

"Shit. I was supposed to take Edison to meet my father in a few weeks."

"Are you going to go anyways?"

"No, I can't. It's a pride issue. He wasn't crazy about us to begin with—simply because I hadn't introduced them."

"I'm sure he will understand." Fitz gently rubbed her back.

"And I can't stay with Abbey next year. She did this as some sick kind of lesson. I don't think I can forgive her for that."

"Did you sign a lease for next year?"

"Yes. I'll have to find someone to sublease."

"You are welcome to live here for as long as you need."

Olivia looked up at him. "I want to kiss you right now, but I don't want to hurt your bruise."

"I'll be fine." Fitz lowered his lips to hers, barely brushing his against hers.

There was so much hesitancy between them, because they were trying to take things slow. As slow as going from engaged to another man to sleeping over with him that night could go. Olivia was content to just kiss him and recommit his lips to her memory. It was insane to her how different kissing someone could be when you are indelibly in love with them. Even the tiniest touch made her toes curl with feeling.

Olivia suddenly pulled back, with a conflicted look on her face.

"I need to ask you something and you have to be honest."

"Okay."

"Do you think this is… _Right_?"

"I think what we have couldn't be more right."

"No, I mean me being here when I was just engaged twelve hours. Ethically."

Fitz was silent.

"Should I, I mean _we_ , take a break until I have properly ended things with Edison."

"Define take a break?" Her words concerned him. He just got her back, and he didn't want to lose her.

"I don't know. Should I not see you for like a while? I just feel dirty about this, and I shouldn't feel bad about you."

Fitz thought over her words for a moment before responding. "I have waited for you this long that I would wait for you for as long as you need."

"I just don't think it is fair to you."

"Quit feeling like you are the problem." Fitz kissed her cheek. "We will take things slow."

"I don't think I can stay away from you for long."

"How about, we act like we don't know each other. Then I—who has obviously crushed on you all of last semester—finally musters up enough courage to ask you out. We can start over completely."

"We do have to have a story for how we started dating. Telling people 'we had a passionate fling last semester that ended with me choosing between my academic future and my lover' probably wouldn't go over well." She smiled.

"By the way… What is the number of dates you usually require before intimate contact?"

"What?"

"You know how girls have a personal rule: three dates, ten dates, etc. before they fuck a guy. What is yours?"

"Fifty." Olivia said with a serious face, just to see Fitz's jaw drop. "I'm kidding. I just wanted to make you think that you would have to buy fifty dinners before I would let you get it."

"You are cruel."

"Five."

"Five?" Fitz scratched his chin in mock thought. "I can work with that."

"And I don't mean that we just have to be together five nights. I want full dates. Woo me." Olivia winked.

"Oh, there won't be a problem with that."

"Unlock your phone for me."

"Be careful." Fitz handed his phone over. "I have some sensitive nudes on there."

"I'm deleting our numbers. Truly starting over."

"Smart." Fitz watched as she deleted their numbers from each other's phones.

"If we are starting over…" Olivia said, somberly, "I can't be here right now, with you."

"I guess you are right." Fitz paused, "Where are you going to go?"

"I can go back to my apartment." Olivia stood, slowly, unwilling to leave his arms. "I will be fine. I need to face consequences."

Fitz rose after her. "Let me drive you."

"No." She put a hand on his chest. "The walk could do me good."

He walked to the outside. "I guess this is goodbye."

"For now." Olivia smiled.

"Don't keep an eye out for me." He kissed her nose. "I will be lurking to sweep you off of your feet."

"I look forward to it." Olivia reached up on her tip toes to kiss him one last time. "Goodbye, Fitz."


	10. PART 2: In Time

In Time—FKA Twigs

In time  
You'll learn to say sorry  
And I will play tender with you  
In time  
Your hands on my body will resonate through me  
Like they did before  
And then

I will be better  
And we will be stronger  
And you will be greater  
The one that I always wanted you to be  
If you can resist it  
And make a commitment  
And stay with me in this  
Stay with me in this

Olivia walked back to her apartment as the sun slowly wiped the crust out of its eyes. When she returned, she showered, and put on a fresh pants suit. She had a class at 10:00 and had to report to her internship at 12:00, but she had things to accomplish before then. She knew that Edison would be back in his office at 8:00. That was one of the many predictable things about him. No matter how his night was, he was always punctual to work the next moment.

As she walked into his building at 9:00, she felt utterly awkward talking to his secretary. His secretary was such a genial person to her, especially after news of their engagement broke.

"Can I see Mr. Davis?" She approached her desk.

"Of course. Let me just call you in."

"Actually," Olivia cut her off. "Can I surprise him?" She knew the real reason was that he would turn her away the second his secretary announced her name. She had to see him face to face to make things okay.

"Um, sure. His door is unlocked."

Olivia thanked her, and entered his office. He had floor plans spread across his desk and seemed deep in thought. When he heard her enter, he looked up. The look on his face broke Olivia's heart. He immediately beeped to his secretary.

"Janet, what did I say—"

"Please, Edison. I will only be a minute. No need to get her in trouble."

"—Please hold all calls and incoming."

"Yes sir, Mr. Davis." She responded dutifully.

"Edison…" Olivia walked to the edge and set his grandmother's ring on the edge.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" His tone was condescending and crude. It made Olivia feel like she was being reprimanded by a principal, but she deserved it.

"I'm sorry." Olivia felt herself getting emotional. "You deserve better than me."

"That's it?" Edison had bitterness in his voice. "The night I proposed, something switched in you. I thought, ' _maybe she is adjusting to being engaged. Maybe she just needs time_ '. I thought that the way that you shrugged me off at night was how you processed it all. You became distant, and I should have seen it sooner. Was it my fault for proposing so soon?"

"No."

"Then it was your student showing up at the game."

"Yes." Olivia admitted, hurt by the way he said student.

"Have you two been fucking the entire time we were dating?"

"No." Olivia took a deep breath. "When I met you, I was willing to give it a chance. You told me that I was holding on to something, and I told you that there was a guy before you. I told you that I hurt him badly, and I couldn't forgive myself. It was all true."

"That was him." He said with finality. "Then I'm glad that I knocked his teeth in."

"I swear that the moment that you walked in on us was the only time I ever cheated on you."

"You picked a prime time to do it."

Olivia tried to stomach the hurt in his voice. He was allowed to be an ass right now. "I thought I loved you. I tried _so_ hard. You are a good man, Edison. You are kind and loving and moral and safe and supportive. I put my all into it, but we simply aren't meant to be. We look good on paper, but there is something missing between."

"I loved you, Olivia." Edison put emphasis on the past tense.

"I know, and I wasn't deserving." Olivia walked over to the edge of his desk and quietly set his grandmother's ring on the edge of his desk. "You deserve someone who is going to be there with you until the end. Someone who has the capacity to love you."

"I don't think I have ever despised someone as much as I do now, looking at you."

"I know." Olivia looked at her hands, ashamed. "I never meant to cheat. That is not who I am—"

"It is what you are."

"We just have different paths, and I am sorry that we crossed. I never meant to hurt you."

"Is that the excuse that cheaters use? We weren't meant to be? We were on different paths?"

"Edison, don't be cruel."

"You vowed to me."

"I didn't say any vows yet."

"Then what is a relationship?"

"I'm not excusing what I have done. But we were never meant to be. We checked off every kind of box, but we never had any passion for one another. We never had any of that breathtaking, life changing, devastating love."

"Love isn't meant to be devastating."

"Which is why we would have never lasted to say our vows." Livia took a deep breath. At this point they were spitting nothing but fiery truth, and she saw no reason to stop there. "If we were truly each other's soul mates, you would've known that I hate 'kiss cams' and public proposals. I would've introduced you to my father sooner. We would have had more sex on the kitchen counter and less under the covers in your bed."

Edison stood, placing his hands on his desk. "If all that you want out of a relationship is some druggie thrill, then good luck. It shows what kind of character you have, and quite frankly, it makes me happy that I saw this _before_ I had to sign divorce papers."

His last words stung as Olivia backed up. "Goodbye Edison. Despite what you say when you are hurt, I really do hope that you find someone."

/

Olivia got back to apartment feeling like an entire piece of shit. She knew that Edison was saying things out of anger, but she also knew that somethings were true. She was a cheater. She was despicable. She also wanted nothing more than to call Fitz. She reminded herself of their plan, and now she was virtually single. They didn't know each other outside of a class that ended a semester ago. Instead, she took a deep breath and went on to her class. By the time she left her internship, she was so entirely physically exhausted that she wanted nothing more than to curl into Fitz's arms.

But she had to wait. It was Fitz's move now. She didn't specify how much time she needed, and she hoped he didn't torture her for too long.

So instead, she locked herself in her room and worked on the pile of schoolwork that was catching up to her.

/

 **ONE WEEK LATER**

Olivia rarely studied in a coffee shop. It often felt too busy, and she needed more quiet. But, her class was cancelled, so Olivia felt like relaxing and reading a book. It was still a little too nippy outside to read on the quad, so she chose the warm coffee shop. She was deeply engaged in her book and didn't notice the person approaching.

"Nice choice."

Olivia looked up to see Fitz standing there in gym shorts and a hoodie. He had obviously just finished a morning run.

"You like Claudia Rankine?"

"It was a required reading for one of my classes. It was my favorite." Fitz smiled. "May I?"

"Sure." Olivia said casually, as he took the seat across from her. She dog eared the page and closed her book.

"How have you been? It has been five months."

"I have been well, thank you."

"Are you still a TA? I heard Dr. Beene went back into politics. I think we all knew that he hated teaching."

"I am, but I transferred into the journalism school. It was closer to my major." Olivia as trying not to laugh at their forced small talk.

"Do you like it more?"

"The discussions aren't as polarizing, but I enjoy reading the essays more."

"I have read some of your articles for the Globe. Really good stuff."

"Since when do millennials pick up a newspaper?" Olivia joked.

"So the reason why I came over here—and I'm glad I ran into you today," Fitz became noticeably nervous, on purpose, "Is because I have two tickets to this wine tasting thing, and I thought you might be interested."

"How did you know that I love wine?"

"Lucky guess."

"When is it?"

"Tonight at six." Fitz backtracked. "I totally understand if you have plans or don't want to be seen with one of your students, or—I mean technically I'm not your student anymore—but you probably still see all of my failed essays every time you look at me…"

"I would love to."

"Really?"

"Yes." Olivia held her phone out. "Put your number in my phone and I'll text you my address."

"Sweet." Fitz eagerly entered in his number and returned her phone. Olivia typed out a text to his number

 **UNKOWN NUMBER:** Don't think that getting me drunk on the first night will make me break my five date rule.

"Perfect." Fitz grinned at the message. "Now I have your number and address. I will pick you up at 5:30. We can grab a bite to eat afterwards."

"I look forward to it."

"Well I will let you get back to your book." Fitz rose. "I will see you tonight, Olivia."

/

Olivia smoothed the fabric of her champagne colored dress out. She wanted Abbey's opinion on her hair, but they had used very basic communication since Abbey sent Edison to the quad. Olivia wasn't ready to forgive her yet, and Abbey didn't seem too concerned with it either. They just co-existed silently. Nonetheless, Olivia craved a girl opinion on her outfit. She pulled her hair back into a sleek bun.

Right on time, she heard a knock on her door. She grabbed her coat and clutch.

"Wow," Fitz said as she opened the door. "You look beautiful." In his hands were a simple bouquet of lilies.

"Thank you." Olivia blushed as he reached in to kiss her cheek. She put the flowers in a vase of water and followed him to his car.

Throughout the night, Olivia thoroughly enjoyed tasting all of the wines at the swanky event, also buying a couple of bottles for herself. She got a kick out of explaining the complexity of each one to Fitz, who just thought that they all tasted very good. They reacquainted themselves with each other, talking about their semester.

Every time she brought a glass to her lips and let out that soft moan of appreciation, Fitz would ache with the urge to kiss her. He was determined to take things slow for her sake. Treat the night like an actual first date. That meant the kissing would have to come later. After the wine tasting, they went to a food truck gathering down the street for Korean BBQ tacos. Then he drove her back to her apartment.

"If tonight was the full Fitzgerald Grant Charm, then I hate that you couldn't show it to me earlier." Olivia joked. She was straddling the border between tipsy and drunk at this point, and he could tell by the way she was hanging onto his arm.

"We are just getting started."

"This is me." She stopped in front of her door.

"This is you." He replied. "I had a great time tonight."

"I did too. Thank you."

"Can I see you again?"

"I think that we can arrange that."

He caressed her face, pulling her in for a soft and simple kiss. The alcohol hazed over Olivia's mind as she tried to deepen the kiss, but he kept it safe.

"Goodnight, Olivia. I'll call you."

/

For their second date, Fitz took her to dinner and a movie. Their third date was a run through the nature trails near campus. On the fourth date, He took Olivia to a Jazz and Art festival downtown. They walked hand in hand, kissing sporadically, listening to jazz and perusing the local art vendors. That date ended with them on Fitz's couch heavily making out. It took all of their energy to stop before things got too heated.

A week passed before they could have the fifth date, due to finals week. Olivia was swamped by all of her papers and exams as well as grading her class's tests. Once she walked out of her last final, she got a cryptic text from Fitz for her to go put on something comfortable.

He picked her up, kissing her soundly on the lips.

"How were finals?"

"Over." Olivia said, "What about yours?"

"Same. I had a couple of GEs that I am glad to never go to again."

"What is on the agenda today?"

"I figured we could relax together." Fitz pulled into a spa parking lot.

"Fitz, you didn't have to—" Before she could finish her sentence, he cut her off with his lips. She moaned, letting him slip his tongue past her lips. "That was rude." She joked once he pulled back.

"We just survived a semester at the hardest school in America. I think that we deserve a little pampering."

Once inside, Fitz informed the receptionist that they were there for the couples massage. They were lead back to the room, where they were told to strip and lay down on the bed. Fitz didn't think this part through, because the sight of Olivia removing her clothes, and him knowing that he couldn't touch her made him grow an annoying boner.

"I hope that isn't for the receptionist." Olivia joked, knowing that the sight of him in attention made her a little too wet.

"What date is this, by the way? I think I lost count." Fitz quipped back as they settled into the beds. For the next 90 minutes, two professionals kneaded and rubbed and stretched all of the stress from their finals week out of their system. There were a couple times when Olivia let out an unexpected moan at the pleasure, making Fitz wish that the time would pass so he could get her to himself. Finally, the session was over, and they were dressing.

After Olivia pulled her sweatshirt over her head, she went over to Fitz who was sitting on the bed, watching her. "Thank you for all of this." Olivia settled between his legs and kissed him. "I don't think you know how much I needed this—normalcy—with you. I needed a breather and to slow things down."

"I was going to wait until I got back to my apartment to ask you this…" Fitz let his hands wander up and down her sides. "Olivia Pope, will you be my girlfriend?" He asked, with the most seriousness he could muster.

Olivia bit her lip and cocked her head. "That depends on how the rest of the date goes." She backed away in teasing, but he reached out to slap her ass. "That is not helping your case."

/

Once back to Fitz's apartment, he poured them drinks and they settled on the couch. Olivia sat with her legs across his lap. They talked about their summer plans. Olivia was taking summer classes, and Fitz would start his internship at the state capital in June. Fitz couldn't help but touch Olivia in every way. Having her warm body so encompassing was distracting in its own. She was telling him of her search for a new apartment, but his hand couldn't help but creep up her tummy in between her sweatshirt and bare skin.

"I have narrowed down to three places. I still have to tour two of them. I think that…uh…." Olivia lost her train of thought as his hand reached her breast, softly cupping it.

"You were thinking?" Fitz brought his mouth dangerously close to hers. He could smell the wine from her breath.

"That I will sign a lease by the end of the week."

"Is that so?" Fitz kissed the corner of her mouth.

"I was thinking that it was time anyways for me to have my own… _Fitz_." She whispered as his hand went around to unhook her bra.

"Your own what?"

"Apartment." Olivia breathed, begging him to kiss her.

"And why is that?" He pulled her up so that she was straddling him.

"There are a lot of advantages…" He pulled her sweatshirt over her head, leaving her loose bra to fall down her arms.

"Like?" He kissed her neck, increasing the intensity

"Privacy."

"Mhmm?" He kissed around her collarbone, leaving large, wet kisses along her throat.

"And I can…" Olivia trailed off as he worked down to her breasts. Her head fell back as he attached his lips around her nipple.

"I find this conversation very interesting, Livvie. Please don't stop."

Livvie tried to speak, but fell mute as he moved to her other nipple. Her breasts were aching for his attention, and he was filling that need. She scraped her nails through his hair, pulling his mouth back to hers. They couldn't help getting aggressive, as Olivia bit his lip and he palmed her breast. She pulled his shirt over his head so that she could run her hands down his abs. Before she knew it, there was a knot in her throat and her eyes started watering.

"Fitz," She whispered.

"What?" he pulled back, concerned. He used his thumb to wipe the tears from her face. Olivia let a soft laugh erupt as she looked away. "What is wrong?"

"I am just so happy that this is where I am right now, with you. Happy endings aren't meant to happen like this. I just can't shake the feeling that it is too perfect. Three weeks ago, I was engaged to a man I didn't love, and I was convincing myself that it was what I wanted. But now… Everything just seems too real."

"If this is all too soon, we can wait." Fitz rubbed her thigh comfortingly.

"No. I am ready. I just…" Olivia wiped her tears away. "I just really hate myself right now for crying and ruining the moment."

"You didn't ruin anything." He pulled her hair behind her ear. "Plus, we have a lot of moments we are going to be making."

Fitz leaned in to kiss her again. This time, he was gentle and slow. He was determined to let his love for her show. After her tears had stopped, he picked her up, wrapping her legs around his waist, and carried her to the bedroom. He set her down on the bed, pulling her leggings off and leaving her in her lace thong. He removed his pants and boxers before crawling up her body from her ankles to her lace clad heat. She naturally spread her legs as he kissed up and down her thighs. He kissed her mound, causing Olivia's hips to buck in anticipation. When he pulled her panties off, he sent a prayer to God as he saw her pussy in its fullest.

As he feathered his tongue over her lips, Olivia sharply inhaled. She fixed one hand to his hair, tugging at his scalp. He missed this one way she showed her appreciation the most. She seemed to have this one fixation with running her hands through his hair. He stopped until she granted him eye contact, before flattening his tongue against her pussy.

"Fuck…" She moaned. That was the best encouragement to Fitz as he began to skillfully kiss and lick her clit. He remembered everything about her and everything that made her moan and squirm. It was like they never parted, and that made him emotional. Her wetness was sripping down his chin as he inserted two fingers into her without warning. Fitz had to physically hold her hips to the mattress, because she was writhing with pleasure. Her mind was becoming hazy in the way that only he could make it. She let the screams of her first orgasm resound through his bedroom.

She barely had time to capture her fleeting breath before he was on her mouth, sucking and biting her plump lips. She could taste herself on him and she wanted more. She flipped herself on top of him so that she was in control, kissing along his jaw line and neck. Her position didn't last long as flipped them back over and entered as swiftly as she processed their change. They both gasped at the sensation, taking a second to adjust.

Olivia sucked his bottom lip into her mouth to let him know that she was ready for him to move. He began a rhythm of long, slow strokes, designed to drive her insane. He took advantage of her flexibility, hoisting her leg over his shoulder. They had prolonged eye contact as they communicated their overwhelming love for one another. He slid one hand down to her clit to bring her second orgasm home with a toe curling spasm.

Her fingernails dragging along his back as she sucked his tongue into his mouth, moaning lowly. He gave three more strokes before spilling into her, whispering _I love you_ s against her mouth. He rolled to his side, keeping her leg over his waist. They stared at each other, processing each other and their emotions.

Finally, a smile cracked across Olivia's face escalating into a laugh.

"What?" Fitz asked, amused.

"I was going to say j _ust like old times_ , but I don't think that covers it."

"I was going to say _I love you_."

"That works, too."


	11. PART 2: Hymn For The Weekend

Hymn For The Weekend—Coldplay

So drink from me, drink from me  
When I was so thirsty  
We're on a symphony  
Now I just can't get enough  
Put your wings on me, wings on me  
When I was so heavy  
We're on a symphony  
When I'm lower, lower, lower, low

* * *

 **Literally, moments later. Sorry. Awkward chapter cut**

"Fitz?" She traced a pattern across his chin with her fingertips.

"Hmm?"

"I would be honored to be your girlfriend." The smile that cracked across her face was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"Well, I'm glad that is settled." He traced his finger over her nose. "I was worried for a moment."

She kissed his fingertip as it neared her lips. "Can I ask you a personal question? You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"That is rhetorical, because you are going to ask me anyways."

"How many girls were you with while we were separated?"

"None." He answered truthfully. "I dated some. My father tried to set me up with a few… I just wasn't over you yet."

"Thank you."

"Other than Edison, were there any men?"

"No, just him. We stated dating two months after we broke up." Olivia was quiet for a moment. "What do you think your father is going to do now that we are together?"

"I don't know. Honestly, I don't care." Olivia felt his body tense and she regretted asking.

"But he has a lot of power." Olivia sat up in bed and ran a hand through his hair. "He can ruin your political career in a heartbeat."

Fitz looked at her as if to say that he wouldn't, but he paused, thinking over her words. "You are right."

Olivia ran a hand through his hair affectionately. "I love you, and you know that. I just can't… It seems cruel to ask you to choose between your political career and me. Especially since I was in this same situation last year." She got out of the bed to start getting dressed.

"It is not like I can't have both." Fitz challenged.

"Of course it isn't. But you just can't be naïve and think that problems won't occur." She pulled her sweatshirt over her head and sat on his side of the bed. "You need to keep that in mind."

"Do you regret choosing being a TA over me?" He sat up.

"No." Olivia said honestly.

Fitz's face contorted into hurt as he pushed the covers off of himself and maneuvered around her to leave the bed. He grabbed a pair of boxers and put them on.

"Wait." Olivia followed him, stopping him with her hands on his chest. "I don't regret it, because I stayed true to myself. It hurt. Leaving you fucked me up so much, but I had to remind myself of the other outcome. I would have you, but I would be jobless and kicked out of school. Everything I ever dreamed of being would be sidelined and my identity would become being your girl. I would forever resent you on some level for that."

"Would you do it again?" Fitz stared her dead in the eye.

"I, uh… I don't know."

He turned around and walked away to his closet to find some pants. "For the record, I would choose you."

"Wait…" Olivia sat on the edge of the bed, giving him space. "I love you so much it honestly scares me. I just can't throw everything I am away for you. I want to be a journalist. I want to be the messenger between the real positions of power and the everyday Americans. I want to walk down the halls of the West Wing with my press pass proudly clipped to my belt. And you can't ask me to throw away these things that I have wanted for twenty four years for someone I haven't even known for one year. Because even though I love you, I would resent you."

"What do you want me to say, here, Olivia?" He turned to face her. "I love you, and for some silly reason, I think that we belong together. I would give anything for us. If my father hands me an ultimatum of political career or you, I would _choose you_. So what, if I don't have to suck up to some donors or pull uninspired stump speeches out of my ass every week. I would have you, and that would make me happy. I can find something else. I'll be a lawyer. I'll teach. I will find something that will make me happy, because if I lose you, then I lose any hope of being happy."

He was now kneeling in front of her. She felt a lump in her throat as he looked at her with the most earnest look.

"And maybe I'm naïve, but I think that our love for one another is stronger than what anyone could ever throw at us."

/

Olivia walked back into her apartment under the assumption that she was alone. According to their calendar, Abbey had a final from 9-10:30. As she walked in, she set her purse on the kitchen table and immediately went for a glass of water. She had her internship in two hours, and she needed to proofread her latest article before work. As she drank her water and ran through all of the tasks she had to complete before her day was over, a voice behind her made her jump.

"Good morning, Olivia."

She turned to see David Rosen leave, obviously from a night spent over with Abbey.

"Good morning, David." She smiled kindly. She like David. He was annoying and awkward at times, but he was a good person. "Is Abbey still here? I thought she had a final."

"Yeah, she's…" David trailed off, shifting from one foot to the other. "You might want to talk to her."

Olivia didn't tell him that she wasn't on speaking terms with Abbey, she just nodded and wished him a good day. Once he left, she looked at the door to Abbey's bedroom, heavily debating whether or not she should attempt it.

"Abbey?" Olivia knocked and cracked the door, making her presence known.

"What." Her voice was clipped and unamused.

"Shouldn't you be taking a final right now?" She opened the door more, to see Abbey furiously stuffing her clothes into a suitcase.

"Leave me alone." Abbey didn't look up.

"Abbey, what is going on?" Olivia knew that she should be smart and turn around. Abbey had tried to ruin her life, so she shouldn't care about how Abbey's life was crumbling. Yet, as she saw her former best friend with tears streaming down her face, she still felt some connection.

"I'm leaving."

"What? Why? You aren't finished with the semester."

"You wouldn't understand." Abbey dismissed. She had yet to look Olivia in the eye.

"Try me." Olivia stood firmly.

"I'm pregnant." Abbey stopped what she was doing and finally looked at Olivia. She had a floodgate of tears swelling behind her eyes.

"I… I had no idea." Olivia went and sat on her bed.

"You wouldn't." Abbey snapped, bitterly. "You haven't exactly been present the last couple of weeks."

"And whose fault is that?" Olivia kept her voice even, but refused to let Abbey blame her for their friendship crumbling. She softened her tone, "How long have you known?"

"Two weeks."

"Are you going to—?"

"No. I'm not going to keep it." Abbey now surrendered to her sobs, sitting on the floor and bringing her knees to her chest.

Olivia went to sit next to her, and ran her hand in circles on her back. "Abbey, it is going to be okay."

"No, it's not." Abbey bowed her head into her knees. "I'm such an awful person."

"No, you aren't." Olivia took a deep breath, processing all of the information and emotions she just took in. "Having an abortion is not some moral death sentence. It does not determine your life. You have every right to make whatever choice you want."

"What about when the father wants the child?"

Olivia felt tears prick her eyes. "Abbey, I'm going to tell you something that I have never told anyone before. Not my father, not Fitz… Nobody."

Abbey lifted her head to look at Olivia. "My sophomore year of undergrad at Duke, I was dating a guy. He was the first person I ever told 'I love you' to. He was the first serious boyfriend I ever had. My birth control slipped up, and I ended up being pregnant. I never felt as lost as I did during that time. I loved him, but I knew that having a baby that young would ruin us. I was still a child myself. So I got an abortion. I didn't tell him, because I didn't want him to change my mind. I have to live with that, but I also have to remind myself that I am a responsible for myself and my well-being. I owed it to myself to follow my life plan, and having a baby would have spoiled everything."

"How come you never told me?"

"I tried to push it aside. It was a decision I made for myself, and there was no need to dwell on it."

"How come you haven't told Fitz?" Abbey asked, knowing that her relationship with Fitz was way different than her relationship with Abbey.

"I… don't think that it is important to where we are right now."

"David won't want me after this."

"David loves you. He might be mad right now, but he will respect your decision in the long run."

"What if he doesn't?"

"Then you will be better off, because you deserve someone who will support you."

Abbey was quiet for a second, accepting Olivia's comfort. "I'm sorry for what I did. I was bitter about your relationship problems."

"Don't worry about it. I keep trying to be mad at you for it, but the truth is that you brought Fitz and me back together. We were bound for each other, and you saved all of us heartache. I wish I had time to break off my engagement, because Edison came out the most hurt, but it happened, and I'm happy."

"What I did was shitty."

"You are right. But just like my abortion, it is in the past. It just moved us forward."

"I'm still leaving." Abbey rose. "I know that you already found someone to sublease, so I guess that I will have to do the same."

"Wait… why?" Olivia stood up as well. "You are so close to graduating."

"Face it. I suck at writing. I have tried for four years to get a fucking children's book published. My GPA is shit, and I am just wasting my money."

"Where are you going to go?"

"I found a high school teaching job in D.C. Their teachers are paid pretty well, and I've always thought of teaching as a backup plan." She grabbed a tissue and wiped her eyes. "And if I hate it, then I will figure something else out."

"When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow. I start for summer school in two weeks, and I already have a lease signed there."

"When are you going to have your operation?"

"Once I get settled there."

"What is David going to do?"

"I don't know. DC is only a one hour plane ride, and six hours by bus. He is very angry about my decision, so we are taking a break. After the operation, I will reach out to him. He's almost done with med school, so we can see how serious we are at that point." Abbey went back to packing. "My expectations aren't too high."

"You might be surprised." Olivia hugged Abbey and she could tell how much Abbey needed it. She wasn't sure if she had forgiven her completely, but she knew that she couldn't stay mad and distant forever.

"I have to go get some work done. If you need anything, let me know."

/

Olivia's internship was going fantastic for her. At her level, she was just a fill in for reporters who were sick or on vacation. That caused her to do everything from local crime scenes to profile pieces like Edison's to the one lucky break she got when she published an investigative article about an off-the-books advisor to the mayor that got a lot of steam. There was a twelve month period of interning, before the paper decided if she was to be hired permanently and placed in a specific department.

Olivia knew that the spot they opened every year was incredibly competitive. They had a handful of interns who were vying for the job. She felt confident that she had the credits, but she also knew that she would be able to find a job elsewhere. She was well liked and had references locked down from very influential writers there.

She only had one more week left, and she could tell that the other interns were getting anxious. As she walked in to the office, and greeted her fellow interns. All of the interns shared a room with couches and a coffee machine, where the other workers came to grab them for favors or articles. She wouldn't get an actual cubicle or office until she was offered a full time job. Immediately, she powered up her laptop and sent her article in to the editor. It was a small fluff piece about a new app that was gaining speed. She tagged onto the article that she didn't have any assignments, and was open for any tasks. Immediately, she got a response from the editor, asking her to swing by her office.

"Hey, did you read it?" Olivia asked, wondering why she was called in there. Rarely did she ever step in her office. Usually she was emailed assignments or told by lower ranking employees.

"No, not yet. Although I'm sure it's fine."

Sandra Purdue was an older woman in her 60s with a short silvery bob always grazing her chin. She was a former socialite from an older time. Eventually, she inherited the paper from her father, and has since proven to be a shrewd business woman with a good eye for stories. She was stern and Olivia had very limited interactions with her. She was not one to irritate.

"Then what can I do for you?"

"Have a seat."

Olivia took a seat across from her large glass desk.

"You are aware that the internship program you are employed under is ending Friday."

"Yes."

"And what are your plans after that?"

"I am continuing my degree over the summer. I plan on graduating in December. I was hoping to be hired by the Globe for a permanent position, but if that is not the case, then I will search for an opportunity elsewhere."

"You have proven to be a talented writer. Your article on the mayor's office was quite a success. He hasn't come over for a dinner party since." She said with a warming edge of humor. "And even in your mundane assignments, you shine. You have proven yourself to be an asset."

"Thank you. I find it easy to perform well when you love the job."

"I want you to know that we are prepared to offer you a full time job here. I understand that you have background in politics and show interest in our political department. We have an opening there for you."

Olivia couldn't stop the smile from overcoming her face.

"I'm sure that by now you have observed the duties of a reporter here. You will be full time, so that is a 9-5 workday. You will have to work that out with your school schedule. You will receive full benefits and insurance and all of that boring stuff. I will have Brian in accounting send over your figure and get back to me to let me know if that is acceptable."

"Oh, I accept right now." Olivia said, then kicked herself for seeming so eager.

"Give it twenty four hours, and then let me know. You can't let the other interns know about this. They will receive the news by the end of the week." She rose extending her hand. "Oh, and one condition is that you finish your schooling. I don't often hire reporters without Masters Degrees, but I would be a fool to let you go."

"That won't be a problem." Olivia shook her hand firmly. "I look forward to devoting more of myself to this paper."

"And as for the rest of your day, you weren't supposed to turn this in until tonight. Unless anybody has any pressing tasks, feel free to take the rest of the day off."

"Thank you." Olivia left. After hanging around the cubicle for an hour, she realized that the office was mainly quiet, so she left to catch a bus back. On the bus, she was beaming with happiness as she texted Fitz.

 **OLIVIA:** Hey, what are you doing?

 **FITZ:** At the gym

 **FITZ:** Why?

 **OLIVIA:** I have some news

 **FITZ:** Good or bad?

 **OLIVIA:** Great

 **FITZ:** Aren't you at work?

 **OLIVIA:** No, I was sent home.

 **FITZ:**? Is everything okay?

 **OLIVIA:** Yeah. When will you be free?

 **FITZ:** I'm just now finishing up and I need to take a shower. Fifteen minutes?

 **OLIVIA:** I'll meet you at the smoothie shop by the gym.

 **FITZ:** Deal

Olivia got there first and ordered two smoothies. When he saw her, his face lit up. She had to admit that he looked incredibly sexy in his gym shorts and t shirt and wet hair from the shower.

"Hi." She reached up to peck him on the lips. Once she did, she realized what she had done. Other than their disastrous kiss on the green, they had never shown PDA on campus. He didn't care. She looked impeccable in her green, flaring skirt and white button down. She always managed to look so sexy in her work clothes.

"Hi." He let his hand linger on her waist before they sat down.

"Here." She slid his smoothie across the table.

"Thanks. What's the news?"

"I was offered the full time position at the Globe. And covering politics!" She almost squealed.

"Holy shit, that's amazing!" He squeezed her hand with his. "When do you start?"

"Monday."

"We should celebrate."

"I still have to go back tomorrow morning. I can't really _celebrate_ on a Tuesday."

"What if we start early?" Fitz raised his eyebrow mysteriously. "What do you have to do today?"

Olivia found herself for the first time with no immediate task at hand. "Well… Nothing. School is out, I have no work, and I have no assignments. Oh, I do need to go meet with my counselor to move some things around to accommodate my work schedule."

"How about you go take care of that, and I will make a run to the liquor store. We can get drunk as fuck and do absolutely nothing all day."

"Why does this sound so appealing? I'll meet you at your place in an hour."

"Deal." He kissed her cheek.

After her meeting, where she switched one class to online and withdrew her application to TA again, she took the stroll to Fitz's apartment. The air was warm and welcoming. She took her blazer off and held it over her arm for the walk.

"Hey." He greeted her at the door with a generous kiss.

"Why do I feel like a college freshman?"

"Well, technically I am one." Fitz grinned.

"Were. As of yesterday you are a sophomore."

"Touché." He already had some bottles out on the counter and his laptop open. "I was googling sexy drinking games, and I realized that I had never seen you take a shot before."

"That is because I don't take shots."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Okay, I haven't taken a shot since my twenty first birthday party."

"Well it's time to break that streak." He pulled two shot glasses out of his cabinet.

"If we are taking shots then I am going to be under the table in like ten minutes."

"Fine. Your first one is a shot, and the rest can be sips."

"Fine." She selected a tequila before pouring her first shot. He poured whisky into his. "What are we playing?"

"Never Have I Ever. I'll say something I've never—"

"I know how to play." She rolled her eyes. "I was in college once too."

"Okay. I'll go first… Never have I ever… kissed a boy."

"That's unfair."

"Take the shot."

Olivia grimaced and held her nose as she poured the shot down her throat. She couched and winced as it burned her esophagus. "Now I remember why it's been years."

Fitz couldn't help but laugh. "Your turn."

"Never have I ever participated in a threesome."

Fitz winked as he downed his shot without as much as a blink.

"What?! When?" Olivia gasped. She could already feel the effects of that one shot.

"I was nineteen. It was my friends' Spring break and I had my first break from training. We went down to Cabo. It was a very bizarre and not so enjoyable thing. I was very drunk by the way."

"I am going to try to forget this in the morning." Olivia laughed as they poured mixed drinks to sip for the rest of the game.

"Never have I ever kissed a member of the same sex."

Olivia blushed as she took a sip.

"That is a story I want to hear."

"It was my first semester of college. That is all."

"Did you enjoy it?"

"Yes." Olivia said honestly, daring him to press for any more details.

"Interesting."

"Never have I ever had sex in a public place." She waited for him to reach for his glass, but he didn't. "Really?"

"You really think that I am that promiscuous." Fitz feigned hurt. "Never have I ever gotten drunk in class."

"I hate you." Olivia took a sip. "Just wait until your junior year. Never have I ever fucked my TA."

"You are cruel."

"I had to catch you up."

"Never have I ever skinny dipped with the opposite sex."

"Nice try." She smirked. "Never have I ever watched porn."

"That's reverse sexism." He took a sip.

"Girls watch porn too."

"I guess you are right."

"Never have I ever fucked someone I was engaged to."

Olivia raised her eyebrow as she made no move for her glass.

"Don't tell me you were making Edison wait until marriage." Fitz asked in disbelief.

" _No_." She swatted his arm. "We just got busy. And then you happened."

"That was like two weeks later! Poor deprived man."

" _Moving on_." Olivia blushed intensely under her alcohol induced glaze. "Never have I ever used an illegal substance other than weed."

"Me neither."

"Just checking."

"Never have I ever been rejected from a school."

"Ass." Olivia surprised him by taking a shot, knowing that she had him on the next one.

"See? It gets better each time."

"Whatever, never have I ever shot a gun."

"You are from the South…" Fitz took a shot with a raised eyebrow.

"And you are from California but don't surf. Stereotypes can be broken."

"Touché… Never have I ever used _y'all_ in a sentence."

"You just did." Olivia countered. "And weren't these supposed to be dirty?"

"You brought up the guns." He smirked. "But I'll take a do over. Never have I ever had sex in a college dormitory."

"Now you are targeting." Olivia took a sip from her cup. "And also blessed. Those twin mattresses were not ideal."

"How about the next game."

"Oh, no." Olivia was already drunk. "Unless you want to be holding my hair back I'm going to cool it on the drinking for now."

"Fine, then. What do you want to do? It's your celebration."

Olivia cocked her head to the side in deep thought. "I want to dance."

"I can make that happen." He took his phone and plugged it up to his speaker system. He put on 1+1 by Beyoncé and pulled her up to dance. Olivia scrunched her nose up as he pulled her in to dance. "What?"

"The song choice."

"You love Beyoncé. And this song."

"I do…" Olivia went along with his swaying. "But this isn't the dancing I had in mind."

"Oh?" Fitz let his hand slide down her back. "Then what dancing did you have in mind."

Olivia pulled away from his arms and replaced his phone with hers. "One Dance" by Drake came through his speakers.

"Nice choice." This time, he let her take the lead.

She intertwined their fingers and pulled them even closer than before. Fitz felt utterly out of his league as she grinded against him. He settled his hands on her hips, and she threw her arms over his neck. He could tell that the alcohol was catching up to her, so he grabbed his glass and finished it, downing another shot. If his time in the military taught him anything, it was how to hold his liquor.

He grabbed her hands and twirled her around, bringing her mouth dangerously close to his. He wanted to see who would be the first to give in and kiss the other. She seemed to pick up on his play or either be hell bent on torturing him as she licked her lips. She ghosted her lips along his neck. Her warm breath and her body skillfully moving against his made him grow undeniably hard. She unbuttoned her shirt a couple of buttons and removed her bra underneath in a way that he didn't quite understand. But he got the message as her perfect breasts peaked out from her shirt.

He spun her around so that her ass was grinding against his crotch. He let his hands shamelessly move from her hips to her inner thighs. One hand was brave enough to pull her skirt up and wander to her pussy. His fingers found a spring of her arousal waiting for him.

"I want to take you from behind, so fucking bad." Fitz growled into her ear as she melted into him.

Olivia didn't say a word as she walked out of his grasp and shed her thong and skirt on her way to the kitchen. She put her hands securely on the counter, spreading her legs apart.

"Well?" Olivia said, tauntingly as she looked over her shoulder.

Within seconds, Fitz was behind her pulling his gym shorts down. He palmed her ass roughly in his hands. She was mewing as he tauntingly ran the tip of his throbbing cock along her folds. He entered, bringing her to her tip toes. She let out an animalistic scream as he began to pound into her. One of his hands held hers to the counter while the other teased her nipple through her shirt.

He watched her in amazement, wondering how someone could be so rapturing and sexy as she threw her head back and her body tensed up. Even in their drunken stumbling, they were so inexplicably in sync with one another that every time they made love it was fucking ethereal.


	12. PART 2: Fall

Fall—Chloe x Halle

Blue likes to drop sometimes, one by one  
But I don't mind, no I don't mind  
Cause luck is on my side  
I feel the drip drop, nonstop, pour on tonight  
So what if the rain falls?  
Let's ﬁnd the gold at the end of the rainbow  
So what if the rain falls?  
I'll shower in shimmers of gold

* * *

"Fitz…"

"Hmm?" He had now discretely pulled the edge of his t shirt up her stomach and drummed his fingers lightly along her stomach. She was lying with her head on his lap while the TV showed an older movie.

"Can I share something with you?"

"Of course."

"I feel awful for not sharing this with you earlier, but as bad as it sounds… I honestly forgot—well not forgot—but pushed it from my memory."

Fitz noticed how tense her diction became. "Go on…"

"My junior year at Duke I was dating a boy in my class. We were pretty serious. His name was… not important. Anyways, we were sexually active and one of those weird accidents happened where my birth control failed. I was pregnant. At twenty. I got an abortion. I buried it. I told no one. I broke it all off with the boy. I never told anyone until I told Abbey today. Then I have been eaten by this guilt that I had to tell you."

"You owe me nothing." Fitz pulled some hair off of her neck and kissed her exposed skin. He could feel her tensing up and panicking, and he had to physically show his support. "You made a decision and it was your right. I don't know how you thought I was going to react, but I love you, and my love for you has not changed."

"I should have told you earlier."

"You could have never told me, and that would have been your right." Fitz kissed her cheek. He processed the information, thinking about the hurt and anxiety she must have been through. Thinking of a young Olivia, terrified and alone with this decision. He unthinkingly tightened his grip on her, wanting her closer.

"Whenever you told me that you loved me, and freaked out. I asked you if you ever told anyone you loved them before. You said yes. Was that him? The boy?"

Olivia sat up and turned to face him. "Yes. Other than you, he was the only man I have ever loved."

"I'm sorry that you had to go through all of that." Fitz pulled her head under his chin and embraced her.

He kept her like this, and she made no move to stop his hug.

"Do you want children one day?" Fitz asked, stroking her back.

She was silent for a moment. "I honestly don't know. And I don't say that as a coded answer for yes or no, I just don't know. I have read that women who have had an abortion have a harder time getting pregnant, and that worries me, but it also relieves me. I don't even know if I would be a good mother, I…"

"You would make a fantastic mother." He cut her off. "Please don't freak out when I say this, but I plan on marrying you one day. Because you are the love of my life, I will support whatever decision you make. Children or no children, you are enough to make me live a long and happy life."

Olivia put her hand up to his cheek and softly caressed it. "I love you so much, Fitz."

"Same."

"You are still going to help me move in next Saturday, right?"

"Yep. These muscles are yours, baby."

She kissed him, smiling against his lips. He tangled one hand in her hair and used the other to flip her over so that she was trapped between the back of the couch and his body.

"Fitz!" She whined as he launched an assault of kisses on her forehead, nose, and cheeks. "I was watching that movie."

"No you weren't." He smirked, kissing her again.

"I was!"

"What is the main character's name?"

"There were two main characters."

"Easier. Name one."

Olivia bit her lip, not wanting to let him have the satisfaction of winning. "You are an ass."

Fitz didn't respond, but instead he traced his hand from her shoulder to her hip and then south to her thighs. Olivia clenched her thighs shut and tried to keep a stern face. He could tell by the glint in her eyes and the way that she was biting the inside of her mouth that she was using all of her self-control. She was practically squirming.

"Have you seen a doctor about your addiction to sex yet?" Olivia asked.

"I'm not addicted to sex." Fitz began to kiss her neck. "I'm just addicted to you."

From his body pressed against hers and his breath tickling her neck, Olivia couldn't keep it up any longer. She opened her thighs, letting his hand tease the fabric of her leggings. Her breath hitched as his hand became more aggressive. She placed her leg over his and kissed him soundly. They were so occupied with each other and the TV was still on loud that they didn't hear the door to Fitz's apartment open and they didn't hear the heavy footsteps approaching them.

"Fitzgerald." A booming voice caused Fitz to whip around, falling off of the couch. Olivia sat up to see a tall man probably in his sixties. He had greyish white hair with striking blue eyes. Olivia knew him immediately as the Governor of California.

"What the fuck, you can't just waltz in here." Fitz stood up, recovering from his fall.

"As long you use my money to pay the lease, I do." He kept his voice low but there was a power behind him. "We need to talk."

"Yeah right, I have nothing to say to you."

"We are going to have a conversation and I would prefer if it wasn't in the company of your lady friend here."

"Leave, now." Fitz got a tremor in his voice that Olivia had never heard before. It raised the hairs on the back of her neck. His body protectively went partially in front of Olivia.

Big Gerry just smirked and went to sit down in a chair next to the couch. He clasped his hands in his lap and gave Fitz a _what are you going to do_ look.

Fitz extended his hand to Olivia, who had been sitting as still as rock the entire time. "Come on, let's go."

Olivia took his hand and grabbed her purse as he led her out of the apartment.

"Lock the door on your way out." Fitz called back to his father. Fitz kept a fast pace to the elevator, pulling Olivia behind him. Once in the elevator, Fitz leaned against the wall, still holding onto her hand.

"I'm so sorry about that." Fitz squeezed her hand. "He has no right to barge in on us like that. Especially after—"

"I'm fine, Fitz." She squeezed his hand back. "Are you?"

"Yes." He said, but the tense line of his jaw told her differently.

"It is okay to not be." She rubbed her thumb along his hand. "We can talk about it if you want."

He just nodded, his face showed his anger.

"Abbey has moved out, so you are welcome to stay at my place until I move into my new one."

"I don't think it will come to that. If doubt the bastard will still be there when I get back." Fitz opened his car door for her, then went around to the driver's side. "I'm worried about what him showing up like this could mean. I have cut off all communications with him since I found out about his part in our break up. I haven't gone to any meetings or social events he planned to jumpstart my political career. I'm going to make it without him, however much that hurts my advantages."

"Do you think that he is angry? That he will do something rash?" Olivia was trying not to let her fears show through, especially when he was the one in deep.

"He was definitely angry, but he is never rash. Everything he does is calculated and precise. I wouldn't put anything past him, he just wouldn't do it to my face."

Olivia thought deeply for a couple of silent moments. This was tricky water, because she wanted the best for Fitz—she wanted his father to leave them the fuck alone—but she also didn't know the tug and pull of their relationship. Fitz was always cryptic about his father. He was a scumbag, and he acknowledged that, but he always succumbed to him in the end. At least, that is what she gathered from it.

"Maybe… You should talk to him. Ignoring him is only going to make him worse."

"I have nothing to say—"

"I know, but you need to talk to him. You need to let him know that you don't need him for your success, and you won't fit into his mold anymore."

Fitz was silent as he drove to her apartment. His jaw was tight and his knuckles were white on the steering wheel. She could tell that he didn't like her suggestion. When he pulled into her parking garage, she turned to him again.

"If you don't tell him, he is going to assume that he still has power over your life. Stand up to him." Olivia leaned across the console and kissed him on the corner of the mouth. She let her lips linger there before pulling back. "I have some packing to do, and some things I need to do before I start back at work Monday. You are welcome to come up and stay here, but think about what I said."

Fitz nodded, not following her out of her car. She took it as a sign that he was going to go talk to his father. She wanted to be there as a support, but she knew that he had to face this on his own.

/

Fitz slowly turned the lock to his apartment. He just knew that his father was still there, without even seeing him. Yet, he was sitting on his couch, nursing a scotch.

"Gerry." He called out, wearily. This was not a conversation that he wanted to have, but Olivia was right. "We need to talk."

"Since when is it _Gerry_ and not _Father_."

"Since you proved that you don't deserve that title." Fitz kept his voice low and even. He got his temper from his father, but Fitz learned throughout his life to keep it under wraps. His father, however, always got a rise out of him.

"Where is this animosity coming from?"

"I don't want you anywhere near Olivia or my life."

Big Gerry raised his eyebrow. "Olivia? Is that her name? Is this what it is all about? I must admit. I was impressed by the fact that you went for your teacher. These Grant men _are_ something else."

"Leave."

Big Gerry let out a low chuckle. "I don't think that you understand how blessed you are, boy."

Fitz winced when heard _boy_ , but he let him finish.

"You are a fine looking boy. I did my best to provide for you. I sent you to the best schools, cleared your way to having a successful military career. I have done nothing but offer you opportunities that any shmuck trying to get into office would murder for. Yet, you squander it all for some chunk of ass with doe eyes."

Fitz wanted nothing more than to grab him by his collar and sock him in the nose, but he held it, clenching his jaw.

"I think you underestimate me." Fitz went over and removed the scotch glass from his hand, pouring it down the sink. "The problem from you is that your ego is so inflated that you can't see me as anything but your puppet. The problem with _that_ is that you have put all of your eggs in the wrong basket. I am not your show horse to trot around and have investors stick their fingers in my mouth, and I am certainly not some pawn to be placed wherever you want to expand your political reign. You are not my father anymore."

"I would like to see you try and bumble your way to something as low as city council member."

"I don't need you."

"You need my connections. You need my donor base. You need my insight. Hell, you even need my money to pay your rent. How are these floor to ceiling windows treating you, boy?"

"I am going to be successful without you. And all you will have to do is watch from the side and deal with it. Now, if you excuse me, I will leave now. You brought up the point that you pay the majority of the rent, so I guess I can't kick you out. I would much rather be with my beautiful, intelligent, charming girlfriend." Fitz walked to the door and looked back. "Feel free to the rest of the scotch. It'll be just like old times: you passed out by yourself. Don't worry about paying next month's rent. I'll be out by the end of the week."

Fitz drove to Olivia's apartment. He found her in her bed with notes around her, typing furiously into her computer.

"Hey. Are you getting work done?" He climbed into the bed kissed her on the forehead. He propped himself up on his elbows.

"Yeah. I have to hit the ground running once I'm hired." She ran a hand through his hair. "How did it go?"

"I'm getting my own place. I told him to stay the hell away from us. I'm about to be a fully independent man." He said that last part with an air of sarcasm.

"I'm proud of you… What now?"

"I need to find a new place. Quickly. I have enough savings to sustain my living expenses through school. I am enrolled under the G.I. Bill, so I still have free education. Working over the summer will help cushion that, but I will be okay."

"Are you going to stay with me until you have a new place?"

"If you don't mind."

Olivia got a mischievous grin on her face. "It can be like a sleepover _every night_."

"Oh boy. I don't know about that."

"You can braid my hair, and I can paint your toenails."

Fitz picked up his phone and held it to his ear. "Hello, yes. I know its last minute but you wouldn't happen to have any rooms open tonight?"

"Asshole." Olivia lightly kicked him in the ribs. Fitz climbed up to where his face was even with hers. He kissed her softly. She traced the outline of his face. "You look tired."

Fitz smirked. "You don't let me get too much sleep around here."

"I really am proud of you for today."

"So, now what? Do we sit on our sides of the bed, doing our work like we've been married for twenty years?"

Olivia felt a tingle at the word _married_. "I guess so. You have to be a right side type of guy, because I sleep on the left side."

"I can compromise." He sat next to her on the bed and pulled out his laptop to look for a new place. They sat there in the quiet and peace and they were completely happy.

/

 **ONE WEEK LATER**

Olivia's first week of work was phenomenal. Her coworkers respected her before, and they were glad that she was the chosen one of the year. She had decorated her cubicle to make it more personable. A picture of her and Fitz was in a frame next to her computer monitor. It was now 7:00 on her first Friday. She quickly realized that it was common to stay late during the week, but the office was practically dead at 5:30 on a Friday. Olivia finished her research she was working on and loaded it on her jump drive.

"On your way out?" Andie, a fellow politics journalist asked. She, too, was hired through the internship program a couple years earlier. She had been Olivia's mentor in terms of getting her adjusted to her new role.

"Yeah, I have dinner plans."

"Boyfriend?"

"Yep." Olivia noticed Andie's gaze towards her picture frame. "What are you still doing here? I thought you already left?"

"I forgot some papers." Andie walked over to her desk, adjacent to Olivia's and rummaged through her drawers. "Hey… Do you have Memorial Day plans?"

"Not really." She gathered her things and followed Andie out of the office and into the elevator

"There is going to be a cook out at my house. I've invited a bunch of other people from the office. You can bring your boyfriend if you want."

"Thanks. I would love that."

"Cool. I'll email you the details. I'll see you on Monday."

"Have a great weekend." They walked out of the building and Olivia waved her goodbye, as she went to Fitz's waiting car. She entered the passenger side, and was immediately devoured by his lips. "Hello, to you too."

"Hi." He grinned. "How was work?"

"Great." Olivia beamed as he pulled out onto the road. "I got invited to my first cookout. It's Monday. Do you want to come?"

"Where?"

"The girl I was walking out with—her house."

"Okay. I'll go."

"Really?"

"Did you expect me to say no?"

"No… I don't know, I'm just very nervous about this."

"Nervous? _The_ Olivia Pope?"

"I'm serious. This is my first interaction with my co-workers outside of work. I want to make a great impression."

"They already love you." Fitz kissed her hand. "It is hard not to."

"Are you finished packing?'

"Yes." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Are you?"

"Almost."

"Almost? You had like a week more than I did." He teased. He recently found a place that would let him move in asap, so they extended the truck rental for Olivia's apartment and he was moving into his place that day as well. Olivia's apartment was further from campus and closer to her job, since she was spending a majority of her time at work and taking online classes. That meant that her and Fitz would be further away, but he had a car, and she was hoping to get one soon with her new paycheck.

"I'll be packed by 9 o'clock tomorrow. That is all that matters."

"So I'll be up until 2 in the morning helping you finish." Fitz parked his car outside of a Mediterranean restaurant they wanted to try.

"That depends on how late you keep me up." Olivia winked as she got out of the car.

That night they did in fact stay up until 2. There was something about Olivia in a sports bra and Nike Pros, bending over to pick up boxes that made him pin her to various places in her apartment four different times.

The next morning, they rolled out of bed way too tired. Fitz had to carry Olivia into the shower, because she refused to get out of bed. They spent the rest of the day unpacking and organizing. Even though it was exhausting and time consuming, they genuinely enjoyed it. Fitz found it refreshingly personal to help Olivia set her life up. It was like he was seeing another side of her, just by seeing how she organized her life.

They ended up at Fitz's apartment with a glorious amount of Chinese takeout. Olivia was lying against Fitz on the couch, shoveling low mein into her mouth.

"I feel oddly grown up right now." Olivia commented between bites.

"How so?"

"I have a full time job, a steady boyfriend, my own apartment, and I'm almost done with school. I opened a 401k on Tuesday. I feel like if this is how my life is starting, then I'm doing a pretty good job at it."

"You make me seem unaccomplished. I mean, I'm still in my undergrad."

"Please, you served six years in the military. You are automatically more successful than me."

"Yeah, but you are the breadwinner."

"True." Olivia took their trash and tossed it in his trashcan.

"You know, I was thinking about my career choices this week…" Fitz began as she joined him on the couch. "And I don't know if politics is the route for me."

"Really?"

"Yeah… I just… I don't know anymore. I am not sure if politics was ever my dream or just my father's."

"What would you do instead?"

"That is the hard part. I was raised to be a politician, and I never considered anything else."

"You have options."

"I know, I just don't know how to get there."

"You have time." Olivia turned and looked deeply into his eyes. "You are only in your second year. You can figure it out."

"I just wish it was easier."

"What about that internship you had last year? With the non-profit?"

Fitz shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, I enjoyed it. I just don't see how that is practical for me. It's a thankless job, and I want to live comfortably." He laughed at the ridiculousness of his last statement."

Olivia could feel the tension radiating off of his shoulders. "Come here." She pulled him against her chest, so that his back was positioned between her legs. She slowly and firmly rubbed his shoulders between her hands. "Do you remember our first date?"

"The _first_ first date?"

"Yeah. At that bar across town."

"I remember. It was not fun." Fitz said in mock seriousness.

"What? It might have ended poorly, but we had a good time."

"I'm not talking about when you freaked out and didn't talk the entire time I drove you home." He stroked her thigh. "I'm talking about when you walked in there wearing that killer black dress. I had an erection the entire time, and all I could think about was kissing you."

"Hey… I let you kiss me eventually." Olivia tugged his ear. "But I was talking about when you told me about your plans. You said—and I'm paraphrasing here—that _you wanted to impact a change for the future_. Do you still feel that way?"

"Yes." He relaxed as she kneaded his back.

"Just keep that in mind. You will find a way." She moved from his shoulders to his neck and temples.

"I'll see how this summer goes at the state capital. Hopefully it will guide me somewhere." He moaned, leaning his head back into her hands. "If I knew that you were such a great masseuse, I would have started venting a long time ago."

"Don't get used to it." She teased.

Fitz took her hand and drew it to his lips. "How many days can you take off from work?"

"Why?"

"My family owns a beach house a little ways south of Carmel, California. I was thinking we could get away for a week before school starts back in the fall."

Olivia was quiet for a moment. "If it is your family's place…"

"Technically its mine. It was my parent's gift to me when I joined the military."

"Rich boy perks." Olivia joked.

"My parents never make it up there because it is such a drive. I can talk to my mother and make sure that we won't be bothered. She likes me more than him."

Olivia was silent for a moment, weighing it in her head.

"Come on…" He flipped around so that he was pinning her to the couch. "We can make love endlessly…" He began peppering kisses along her collarbone between proposals. "Not have to worry about school or work… Get some of that salt water into your system…" He let his hand shamelessly wander down her torso. "You can surf…"

"You hate surfing." Olivia breathed, unable to control how her body was reacting to him.

"But I can guarantee that I will enjoy watching you surf." He kissed her nose. "What do you think?"

"I say that sounds wonderful." Olivia put a finger across his lips as he tried to kiss her. "But… I have to run it by my boss. I will only go if I can take off of work."

"Deal." He said against her finger. "Now, can I kiss you?"

"You may."

* * *

 **So that is Part 2. Part 3 will just be a conclusion and it will be short. I haven't finished it yet, so there will be a longer wait. I hope you all are enjoying the story so far!**


	13. PART 3: Unstoppable

Unstoppable—Liane La Havas

I'll wait a little longer  
We're weak and getting stronger  
I know it's taking the time to heal  
We'll be unstoppable  
Don't know what I did it for  
I needed to know that it was always real

* * *

 **TWO MONTHS LATER**

"I don't think I've ever seen you this nervous." Olivia joked as she pointed to the second shirt in his hand.

"I'm not nervous."

"You have never asked me for opinions on clothes."

"I just want to impress your father."

"He will like you."

"You don't know that."

"I don't. But I don't understand how he won't." She grabbed his toiletry bag off of the bed and put it in his suitcase. "We aren't even going to be there for twenty four hours. _Breathe_."

"I'm concerned that because you jumped from an engagement to a man he never met to another man he has never met. There might be resentment."

"It will be fine. I promise. Now, are you ready? We have a plane to catch."

Olivia called the cab and they carried their bags to the sidewalk. She got a week off from work, with the understanding that she had to turn in a few articles from long distance. Since this was the only vacation she would have for the rest of the year, they decided to fly down to North Carolina so that Fitz could meet Olivia's father, then fly out to California to spend their week on the beach at his beach home. Fitz had a buyer lined up, so it was their last chance to visit.

When they arrived in Durham, Eli Pope was hung up at his office, so they took a cab to her old home. Fitz was partially grateful for this, because his nerves were on high alert. From Olivia talking about her father, he couldn't quite figure the man out. Her house was just like he pictured it. It wasn't incredibly large, but it was spacious for a two person family. It had an understated elegance to it.

She gave him the tour of the home. It was impeccably clean with pictures of her mother and Olivia peppered throughout the walls.

"She was beautiful. Just like you." Fitz noted as he noticed the first picture.

"She was" Olivia agreed. "She would have liked you. She always joked that I couldn't find a man until I was out of college, because she didn't trust any man under twenty five." Olivia laughed at the memory. "So I think you would have passed her test."

"Where will I be sleeping?" Fitz asked as she showed him her room. It seemed to be a time capsule of a high school Olivia. Still mature beyond her age, but swim team medals and Duke Paraphernalia showed him a glimpse of her younger self.

"In here." Olivia set her bag down on the floor and sat on the queen sized bed.

"But your dad…"

"I'm a grown ass woman. Unless you would rather sleep in his bed."

"I'm not complaining. I just don't know if you will be able to resist yourself being so close to me." He had a smirk on his face as he went to sit next to her. "We don't exactly have the best track record in terms of self-discipline."

"Well, if my dad isn't home…" Olivia straddled his lap, teasing him. "Then would he ever know?"

"Tell me, Olivia." He bounced slightly on the bed, testing the springs. "Am I the first in your bed?"

"You count your chickens before they are hatched." Olivia chided.

"So yes."

"Let's just say that there is a reason why my dad removed the lock on my door when I was seventeen."

"Now you have to tell me the story."

Olivia shrugged. "We were just doing homework on my bed. My dad saw his car out front, heard the loud music, and I was in the habit of locking my door. He didn't believe a word of my story, so the next day when I got back from swim practice, the lock was removed."

"You are such a tease." He shook his head. "You had to ruin it for me."

"You act tough, but I would like to see you try with my father right below us."

"He isn't here now…" Fitz trailed off as he softly kissed Olivia. He had every intention of keeping it civil between them, but naturally things got a little heated. He had his hands palming her ass through her jeans and she was showing her appreciation with her tongue against his. Out of nowhere, Olivia hopped off of his lap and stood, smoothing her appearance out.

"What?"

"He's home."

"How can you tell?"

Olivia put a finger over his lips and sure enough, faint footsteps sounded from somewhere downstairs.

"Come on." Olivia grabbed his hand and led him downstairs.

Eli Pope was in kitchen, setting his briefcase down. Fitz took in his appearance. He was wearing closely cropped hair that was almost completely grey. He was wearing a suit and had a wise presence around him. He looked entirely serious until Olivia made their presence known.

"Hi, Dad." She reached for him and hugged him closely.

"Hey, Olivia." His southern accent was distinct and warming.

"I would like for you to meet my boyfriend, Fitz."

Fitz extended his hand for a firm handshake. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Pope."

"The pleasure is all mine." He looked back at Olivia. "I made our dinner reservation for seven tonight. I have some work to do in my office, but you can use my car to go wherever." He set his keys on the counter and made his exit up the hallway to his office.

Olivia smiled at Fitz who had worry in his eyes. He just met her father and within seconds, her father left.

"He likes you." She whispered, taking his keys from the counter. "Come on. I need to visit some old friends that I want you to meet."

"Is that…" Fitz grabbed her hand in the car as his ambivalence about her father was apparent.

"Normal? Yes." Olivia said, catching his direction. "But trust me when I say he likes you. He is just not very expressive."

She drove to another house fifteen minutes away, explaining that it was one of her close high school friends. When Olivia was a freshman, she met Taylor on the debate team, who was a senior. Her high school sweetheart Erick was also a senior. After their graduation, they split up because they were moving hours away for college, but eventually reunited and married. Now, they had a baby, and Taylor was working in banking and he was a personal trainer for UNC's basketball team. Olivia hadn't seen them since their wedding three years ago, and was excited to reunite. She corresponded with Erick so that she could surprise Taylor.

"Oh my God." Taylor gushed as she opened the door to find Olivia and her new man in front of her. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in Boston."

"I stopped down here for a day to see my father." Olivia pulled her in for a hug. Taylor was towering at a model height and had long braids trailing down her back. She had a graceful air that oozed with success and elegance.

"Taylor, I would like for you to meet my boyfriend, Fitz." She moved out of the way so that they could shake hands and introduce themselves. Erick came around the corner with their baby in his arms.

"Was this your doing?" Taylor asked in mock anger.

"We may have conspired behind your back. Hey Liv." He kissed her cheek and shook Fitz hand.

"I hate you. You could have at least told me not to change out of my pajamas." She referred to her sweatpants and tank top. It was early afternoon on a Saturday and Olivia could tell that it was a lazy Saturday for both of them.

"Come on, you are a new mom. You have an excuse."

"How long does that excuse work before I have to return it?" She joked back.

"She is so gorgeous." Olivia's attention was completely enamored with the ten month old.

"Jacqueline got her momma's traits, didn't she?" Erick talked in baby talk as he bounced his daughter up and down.

"Come on, let's sit down. Do y'all want anything to drink? Lemonade? Sweet tea? Hell, I'll just bring the pitchers out."

They followed them to their family room. Olivia noted how perfectly normal their life was. They had Jacqueline's toys scattered across their floor. Olivia and Taylor settled on the floor to play with the baby. They caught up on what they had missed in each other's lives since they last caught up and gossiped about their other high school friend's lives. Taylor couldn't help but bring up Olivia's engagement since she didn't know the entire story. Olivia told them the true story about their relationship, sparing some of the painful details. Her honesty told Fitz how much she trusted Taylor and Erick.

Fitz couldn't help but smile at Olivia interacting with the baby. She was tickling the little girl and playing with the brightly colored objects for her amusement.

"Are you planning on having another soon?" Olivia asked, playing peek-a-boo.

Taylor let out a laugh. "I'm going to work on getting her potty trained first, then we will consider it."

"With the way your genes turned out on this one, I think it would be a crime against humanity not to give her a brother or sister." Olivia said fondly as she pulled Jacqueline into her lap, supporting her with her legs.

"What about you?" Taylor asked. "Are there mushed carrots or diaper creams in your future?"

"I think I'm just going to steal this one for you. No stretch marks that way." Olivia winked as she rubbed Jacqueline's tummy. Jacqueline brought a fist to her eye and yawned deeply. Olivia pulled her against her chest, making Jacqueline comfortable as she drifted off. "I'm serious. You will have to pry her away from me. I think she likes me more than you."

They continued their reminiscing. Fitz got his filling of stories about Olivia's awkward beginnings in high school and her wild trips to New Orleans when Taylor was at Tulane. Eventually, Jacqueline woke up, becoming restless.

"She really isn't fussy." Olivia commented as she calmed her down.

"She just knows how to act in public." Erick spoke up. "You should hear her at three in the morning."

Olivia handed her off to Fitz's open arms as Jacqueline asked Olivia to follow her into another room. She took her to a hallway and pulled out a shoebox and yearbook.

"Oh, no…" Olivia protested. "Some things are meant to be buried."

"I'm just making sure Fitz knows what he is getting into, and I know your dad isn't going to embarrass you with these." She winked as she went back into the family room.

Olivia was warmed at the sight of Fitz bouncing Jacqueline on his knee. She was babbling and giggling at him. While he discussed sports with Erick.

"Alright, now we get to the fun stuff. Our high school pictures."

"This is unfair, because you were a senior and I was barely fourteen."

"Don't worry. I have pictures of you from your junior year Mardi Gras."

"This is cruel."

"Let's start chronologically." Taylor winked as she flipped to Olivia's freshman year school photo. Fitz couldn't help but laugh at the gangly Olivia. She had braces and her eyes were way too big for her face. Even as a freshman, she was in almost every club.

"You were popular." Fitz commented.

"She was such a nerd. But she decimated me in our first debate club meeting, so I knew that I had to befriend her or be ruined by her." Taylor piped in, moving on to older photographs.

There was a Mardi Gras picture of Olivia at a bar with a hundred beads around her neck and a beer in her hand. It was obvious that she was incredibly drunk by the look in her eyes.

"Gimme that." Olivia reached for it, but Fitz held it out of her grasp, still balancing the baby safely in his lap.

"This is _gold_." Fitz squinted at the photo. "How old are you? Sixteen?"

"Seventeen, thank you very much."

"You drank beer." He said with amused surprise.

"I was _holding_ it for a friend." Olivia groaned, but nobody believed her.

"Isn't the rule that for every bead you get, you have to earn it?"

"Not true!" Olivia blushed, but Taylor coughed suggestively.

"Then what is that on your neck?" Fitz laughed as he handed the photo to Olivia.

She felt even more awkward as she realized she had a glaring hickey on her neck. "Nothing… It's the lighting."

Fitz covered Jacqueline's ears. "Bullshit."

"Okay…" Olivia checked her phone. "It is 5:30. We should be getting back, so I can shower for dinner."

Fitz handed the baby off to Erick. "Can I get copies of these? I would very much like to have these for reference—"

"Not happening, Fitz. Say your goodbyes." Olivia took the box out of his hands.

They all hugged and promised to meet up in Boston or North Carolina again.

When they returned, they showered and got ready for dinner. Olivia wore a crimson cocktail dress that was conservative and classy. She was so incredibly gorgeous as she finished her makeup with a final swipe of lipstick. Fitz couldn't help but pull her to him and let his hands wander down her sides.

"You are so beautiful." He whispered as he kissed her shoulder.

"Thank you." Olivia intertwined her fingers with his.

"And thank you for introducing me to your father." He kissed her lips carefully so that he wouldn't mess up any of her makeup.

They went to a classy Italian restaurant in their neighborhood. Eli must have been a regular because the waitress called him by his name. Fitz couldn't help but feel like the conversation was forced. Olivia kept up most of it, asking questions and finding topics to talk about. Eventually, Fitz realized that Eli was incredibly fascinated with Olivia and her new life. He just didn't have much to say. It wasn't that he wasn't intelligent. As an established professor at Duke, Fitz wasn't above reading some of his academic papers to try to figure him out. Eli had a wealth of knowledge and it was resting right behind his eyes. Fitz just had to adjust to him. Olivia's hand on his thigh throughout dinner helped, too.

When they went back to the house, Eli dug up an old bottle of scotch. They took it to the front porch. The North Carolina heat managed to lift its self just enough to make the night bearable. Eli sat in a chair on the porch while Olivia and Fitz claimed the swing.

"Wow, this is incredible. I've never heard of it." Fitz took a sip of his scotch.

"There is a distillery a couple of hours from here that nobody knows about. It is my secret."

Olivia nestled into Fitz's side with his arm over her. She pulled his hand to hers and played with his fingers. He liked how affectionate she was even in front of her father. It spoke to the independence she had from him and the respect they had for each other.

Olivia's phone rang, and she excused herself to take it inside, leaving Fitz and Eli to themselves.

"Are you going to marry her?" Eli asked, quietly.

Fitz was worried that his conversation would happen. He knew it was probably customary for when he would be introduced to a girl's father. "Yes. One day."

Eli nodded, taking a sip of his scotch. "Okay."

"As soon as she will let me." Fitz said, more to himself. He thought back to the conversation they had a month earlier.

 **ONE MONTH EARLIER**

Olivia picked a piece of grass off of the picnic blanket. They decide to take advantage of the warm, sunny Sunday afternoon and go to the park, where they first fell in love at. Fitz was reclined back, reading Olivia's latest article in the paper.

"This is good." He finished the article a while ago, but he enjoyed watching Olivia without her knowledge. She was deep in her thoughts, picking at the grass and drumming her fingertips to some silent melody across the blanket.

"Thank you." She turned back to face him. He took her hand and pulled her back to lay between his legs. He pulled her hair to the side and kissed her cheek, wrapping his arms around her.

"Marry me." He whispered against her cheek. The words just tumbled from his lips without any forewarning.

"What?"

"Marry me." He said louder, doubling down on his words.

"Fitz..." Olivia leaned forward, out of his arms. "I can't say yes."

"Why not? I mean, I realize that I don't have a ring, but I will get you one. I wasn't planning on proposing like this, but I can't help myself." He put his hands on her sides, trying to guide her back to him, but she moved further away, standing up.

"I…" She stumbled over her thoughts.

"Don't overthink this, Livvie." He stood.

"I'm not." She said defensively.

"I love you and you love me. We can't live without each other." He put his hands on her upper arms, comfortingly, "We _tried_ and realized that life is only worth living if it is with one another. I don't know what better qualifies me to make you my wife than that."

"It isn't that simple." She backed out of his arms.

"Do you love me?"

"Yes, but—" She trailed off.

"But what?"

"I'm not ready." She took a deep breath. They were getting frustrated with one another, and she was trying not to cause an outburst. "I was engaged to another man three months ago. Did you consider that? I am just… not ready for this."

"So this is about Edison?" There were hidden daggers in his voice

"No." Olivia shot him a hurt look. "This is about the fact that nothing is ever as simple as _I love you_ and y _ou love me_. There is so much more to marriage, and I'm telling you that I'm not ready for it."

"Why are you so skeptical of us? It is not like you are getting married right now. I'm not rushing anything."

"Why are you so intent on forcing me into something I'm not ready for?" Olivia fired back. She felt the situation getting entirely too hostile, so she took a few steps towards him. His arms were crossed, so she put a hand on his arm. "I love you, and I am intending on one day saying 'I do' to you. But, I don't want to rush things. I want to enjoy…now. I want to be here with you and not have the stress that comes with marriage. You will know when I'm ready."

Fitz looked down at her hand on his arm. He set his hands on her shoulders.

"You will let me know?"

"I will let you know."

Fitz nodded, accepting her answer. He leaned down to capture her lips with his.

 **PRESENT TIME**

Olivia accepted the phone call once she was inside. It was Abbey.

"Hey, what's up?"

"David proposed." Abbey's voice was not the joyous announcement, but a stressed musing.

"What? When did—" David and Abbey had been apart since May when Abbey moved to D.C. and got her abortion. Abbey reached out to David after her operation, but he said he needed more time. That was when Abbey accepted that they were done.

"He popped up like ten minutes ago on my doorstep. He said that he couldn't be happy without me and he just fucking popped the question."

"What did you say?"

" _Nothing_. I told him I needed a minute and then I just shut the door and called you."

"Where is he now?"

There was a pause.

"He's still outside of my door, I think."

"Abbey—at least let him inside or tell him to go away. You can't leave him out there."

"I just need… a minute." Olivia could hear her take a deep breath. "This is fucked up right? I mean, how could he do that? Like just show up and expect me to marry him."

"Do you still have feelings for him?"

" _Of course I fucking do_." Abbey groaned. "I just can't… I don't know. This all feels so wrong."

Olivia was silent, not knowing what to say.

"I love him and I want him back, but I feel like I shouldn't even let him back. Like we should all learn a lesson. I mean, what the fuck did he expect me to do? Say yes and jump into his arms like a fucking movie? This shit just doesn't happen. What should I do, Liv?"

"I—I don't know, Abbey. I actually have no idea what to do here."

"What would you do? If this happened to you?"

Olivia was silent, thinking about if Fitz showed up at her doorstep like that. She knew she would probably shut the door in his face and tell him to fuck off in the name of self-preservation. But she knew that she would also _want_ to let him in. To hear his side of the story.

"I would not accept the proposal, but I would let him in. If you still care about him, then he deserves a chance."

Abbey was silent for a moment. "Okay. You are right. I have to go now."

"Call me and let me know how it goes. Good luck, Abbey."

"Bye, Liv. Thanks."

The line went dead. And Olivia pocketed her phone.

She went back out to the porch to resume her position against Fitz.

"Is everything okay?" Fitz asked.

"Yeah, Abbey just ran into a problem."

"Well, it is getting late. I'm going to turn in."

"We need to leave for the airport at six, so we won't wake you." Olivia stood to say goodbye. Eli hugged Olivia and shook Fitz's hand. Olivia noticed a look between them that was of something she didn't understand.

Eli left them alone on the porch. Olivia nestled back into his arms. Fitz slowly rocked the swing back and forth.

"What were you two talking about earlier?" Olivia asked, playing with his hand again.

"That is a secret I will take to my grave." Fitz said softly, earning a laugh from Olivia. "I like it out here. It is peaceful." Fitz said, referring to the crickets buzzing in the background.

"It isn't too humid?"

"I think I can survive." He kissed her head.

"My mom used to bring her record player out here at night and play her old vinyls from college. She had the best sugar to tea ratio for sweet tea and we would just talk. I always wanted to know what she was like before she had me. I also used it as an excuse to stay up past my bedtime. I knew neither my dad nor my mom would pry me off of the swing when we were out here." She laughed lightly.

"How come you never really talk about her? Is it still painful?"

Olivia shook her head. "I don't know. In Boston, I am busy and consumed with my own life. Yet, when I come back here, there are memories everywhere. Even though she was gone for a majority of my life here, the memories of her are still prevalent. It isn't painful, just everywhere. I miss her, but I don't have any ties to her in Boston."

"I've never met her, but I see her in you."

"Thank you." Olivia yawned. "We have to get up early. I'm ready to go to bed."

They went inside, putting their dishes up. When they got up to her room, Olivia washed her face and got ready for bed. She found it humorous to see Fitz in her childhood bed, shirtless, waiting for her. She crawled into the bed with him wearing a t shirt and boyshort panties.

Fitz automatically pulled her into a spooning position. He let one hand shamelessly snake up her t shirt to cup her breast.

"Fitz…" Olivia laughed. "Don't make this harder than it is."

"We can be quiet."

"Contain yourself." Olivia was referring to his obvious erection against her ass.

"Don't you have some dorky pajamas in your closet? This is too unfair."

Olivia looked back at him with a suggestive glint in her eyes. "If you really want…"

"I want."

Olivia kissed him, sucking his tongue out of his mouth. He moaned, as Olivia rolled on top of him. His hands possessively went to her ass.

"Stay here." She rolled out of the bed and disappeared into her closet. A moment later, she emerged in long red plaid pajamas. He groaned, falling back onto the bed.

"What?" Olivia couldn't help but laugh. "You said you _wanted_ me to put on some more appropriate pajamas."

"You know that is not what I wanted." Fitz mumbled as she settled back into his arms.

"Goodnight, Honey." She said sarcastically as she kissed his nose.


	14. PaRT 3: Bed Peace

Bed Peace—Jhene Aiko ft. Childish Gambino

What I am trying to say is  
The love is ours to make so we should make it  
Everything else can wait  
The time is ours to take so we should take it

* * *

"I highly doubt that you are right." Olivia protested.

"I can't believe that an educated human being like you would be so narrow-minded and ignorant." Fitz snuck a glance at her as he drummed his fingertips on the steering wheel.

"I never said I wouldn't give it a try, but I'm just telling you that the odds of you being right are at a solid zero."

"This is going to be what we break up over." Fitz rolled his eyes playfully.

" _Nothing_ beats Chick-Fil-A. It is an American classic and was recently voted to be the number one fast food chain in America. In-N-Out can only naturally fall short."

"Statistics can be rigged."

"Then why aren't there any In-N-Outs on the East coast?"

"Because they aren't worthy."

"Snob."

"I can't wait until you change your mind." Fitz pulled into the fast food parking lot. They landed an hour ago at Monterrey Airport and had a thirty minute drive to his house. Olivia did, genuinely enjoy her first burger from In-N-Out, but she was too prideful to admit it. Instead, she just said, "It has its own pros." And finished her plate. Fitz got the message.

"Aside from your subpar fast food experience, what do you think so far?" Fitz asked as he neared the end of the winding gravel driveway of the house. His beach home came into view below her. Situated on the side of a steep mountain, it was a hundred yards from the water. There was a small beach at its feet. The house was small, it couldn't be more than a 2 bedroom. It had a dark wood exterior and looked somewhat like a cabin with large windows.

"Wow… This is beautiful." Olivia whispered as he parked, pulling their bags out of the back of their rental car. "Will you give me a tour?"

"Yes." Fitz nodded as he unlocked the front door and let her inside. The interior very much matched the outside. The colors were warm and inviting, with the wall facing the ocean being glass. He showed her the main room as they walked through, which had a TV and an attached kitchen. Outside of the main room, there was a deck with a built in Jacuzzi. About half of the distance to the beach, there was a shed used for storage. Then he walked her to the bedroom, which had a similar view of the ocean. "This is where we will spend all of our time." He winked as he set their bags down on the floor.

"I am not even going to think of a reply to that, because I know that you are right." Olivia squealed as he pulled her onto the bed. She landed on his lap, but he was quick to flip her over, pinning her to the bed.

"I have been waiting for an entire four days for this." He kissed from her neck to her collarbone.

"You poor, deprived man…" Olivia giggled as his teeth nipped at her skin. Her sundress was somehow pulled up to her stomach as Fitz pulled her panties down to her ankles. "You also don't waste time."

"Part of the deal…" Fitz fingered her clit softly, making her moan against his mouth. "Was that we could make love endlessly."

"Why do you think I came?" Olivia half-joked as she pulled his shirt over his head. "I don't want you to wear a shirt the entire time we are here."

"As long as you do the same."

"Do you want to go swimming?" Olivia bit her lip, making it impossible for him to say no. She grabbed his hand and led him towards the beach.

"Shouldn't we change?" He asked as they started down the path to the sand.

"I mean, if you would _rather_ I have a swimsuit on…" Olivia teased as she began to unbutton the back of her dress. Fitz told her earlier how private the beach was, and the first thing she thought of was how she couldn't wait to go skinny dipping.

"Last one to the water has to do whatever the winner wants in bed." Fitz smirked. "I'll give you a head start."

Before he could finish his last sentence, Olivia was dashing off towards the water. He almost caught up to her by the time she reached the water, but she stopped struggling to undo her dress. Fitz passed her having his shorts off in a millisecond, bounding into the water fully naked. He stopped waist deep, and watched her finally ditch her dress and join him.

"That was unfair." She pouted as she dodged a wave.

"You had a head start."

"You didn't have a million buttons to undo."

"I'm still cashing in."

"I figured that much."

He pulled her against him and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He moved past the break of the waves.

"The water is freezing." Olivia shivered slightly. Her nipples were perked against his chest and it was driving him insane.

"You'll adjust to it in a second." He kissed her, softly biting her lower lip. She moaned against his body. A different type of shiver ran through her as she slid her tongue against his. When their kiss ended, Olivia kept her forehead against his and her eyes closed.

"The last time I was here, was right after we broke up. During Thanksgivings break, I drove up here from Santa Barbara to escape my family and just to be myself. I thought, 'if only I could bring Olivia here and show her how much I love her.' I'm, glad you are here."

Olivia had tears in her eyes as she kissed his lips softly and deeply. "I love you so much." She shivered again from the cold. "And it's not getting any warmer."

"Let's go back to the beach."

He carried her back to the beach and grabbed some blankets from the house. They laid out, naked on the beach in each other's arms, letting the sun dry them off. Fitz assumed that Olivia had fallen asleep against him.

"Livvie." He whispered, testing to see if she was awake.

"What?" She whispered back.

"I thought you were asleep."

"Nope." Olivia lifted her head to look at him. They laid there in silence for a moment longer. "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm plotting how I'm going to have my way with you tonight." He murmured in a deliberately suggestive voice.

"That doesn't sound sinister at all." She joked as she rolled completely on top of him, kissing his chin.

"We should go inside, and I should start on dinner."

"But this is so nice… I was heavily debating joining a nudist colony."

"Just say when and where."

"Really?" Olivia raised her eyebrow. "You would be okay with me being naked for the _entire world_ to see?"

Fitz pursed his lips, sitting up and wrapping Olivia up in a blanket. "Maybe I just want you naked for myself." He nuzzled her neck.

"Lucky for you, that can be arranged."

"Let's go inside." He pecked her lips.

Once inside, Fitz began prepping dinner. This time, he let Olivia help cut vegetables and season the meat.

"I think that I am moving towards a decision with my major and career." Fitz said, absentmindedly.

"Really?" Olivia kissed his shoulder as she passed him to the sink to wash her hands. "What have you decided?"

"Human Rights Law… I can still get my law degree, which seems the most practical. I will be doing meaningful work, but without running for office. Who knows, maybe I will climb the ranks at the ACLU, or get famous over a case."

"That sounds wonderful." Olivia dried her hands and pulled his face in for a kiss. "I'm happy for you."

"I'm still going to get my degree in political science. It makes the most sense. I will just have to figure out law school when I get there."

"If you could decide right now, where would you go?"

"For law school?"

"Mhmmm."

"I… I don't know. I guess it depends on you."

"Me?"

"There are plenty of law schools in Boston. I could always double down at Harvard. Or try Boston University, Boston College… Do you plan on staying in the New England area for a while? I mean, I still have three more years until I graduate."

"Fitz…"

"What?" He stopped and looked at her. "The lucky thing about our careers is that there is a demand everywhere. We can go anywhere."

" _Fitz_." Olivia whispered.

"What?"

"I don't know, I guess I never thought that far ahead…"

Fitz saw her inner cycles of thought go on overdrive as she thought about how they would work out their separate plans into one another. "We have time to figure it out." He reached over to kiss her on the forehead.

They finished cooking and sat down with a bottle of local wine. When they finished eating, Olivia rose to do the dishes. She was elbow deep in suds when his presence overwhelmed her. The way his cologne smelled had her knees weakening. When he wrapped he pressed his body against hers and slid his arms to the pot in front of her, Olivia was sure that her heart added an extra beat to its cadence.

"I can do the dishes." He murmured into her ear.

"You cooked. _I_ will do the dishes."

"Like hell you will." Fitz growled and pulled her away from the sink, biting along her neck.

"No, Fitz!" Olivia protested, trying to escape his arms in a fit of giggles. "You cooked so now I need to do the dishes, those are the rules."

"The rules?" Fitz raised his eyebrows in question. He turned her around and pinned her to the counter.

"Everybody knows the rules. Or did your servants always wash your dishes for you as a child?" Olivia joked as he lifted her to the counter. She opened her legs to him.

"That was a low blow." He ran his hand up and down her thighs.

"So I take that as a yes." She said with an evil smile on her lips.

He moved his mouth to where it was hovering next to her ears. "Why don't you _make it up to me_ by going into the bedroom, getting naked, and waiting for me?" He pulled back to see her eyes darken.

Olivia bit her bottom lip, her resolve fading. "I can do the dishes."

"Livvie… I want you naked." He said in a serious tone.

"Is this you cashing in?"

"This is only the beginning."

Olivia got a mischievous look in her eye as she pulled her dress over her head, still sitting on the counter. She unhooked her bra, smirking at how Fitz's eyes immediately latched onto her breasts. She slid off of the counter, brushing her body against his. He made no effort to make room for her, benefitting from their close proximity.

"I'll be waiting for you." She slipped past him and disappeared into the bedroom.

He couldn't have washed those dishes faster. When he made it to the bedroom, he found Olivia lying naked on top of the bed. She propped herself up on her elbows and watched him cross the room to the closet. She watched as he got two of his ties from his tie hanger.

"What did you pack those for?" Olivia asked out of curiosity.

"Always prepared." He smirked as he approached her. He pulled her arms above her head and tied them to the bed frame with the first tie.

"Fitz…"

"Comfortable?"

She nodded as she tested the restraints. He took the second tie and blind folded her, snugly securing it across her eyes. Olivia's heart rate increased and her breasts rose a little higher with each breath.

"Comfortable?" Fitz asked in a lower voice than before. He parted her lips with his thumb and she breathed a _yes_ out. He took his thumb and slowly dragged it down her body, past her navel. She was squirming as he neared her parted thighs, but his thumb left her body and she felt his weight leave the bed.

"Fitz?" She called out with no luck. He managed to turn her on with just his finger, but she couldn't do anything about it. She heard his footsteps and his weight return back to the bed. He crawled up the bed, pressing his now naked body against hers. "This isn't fair."

"Don't be a sore loser," He teased as he kissed along her jaw. "Open your mouth."

"This better not be—"

"Just do it." He laughed as her plump lips parted. He took a strawberry from a bowl and dipped it in some cool whip, before setting it against her lips to bite. She gasped at the cool fruit and then bit into it, chewing slowly. Fitz took another strawberry and doused it in cool whip. Instead of feeding it to her, he made a line of cool whip down her torso. She gasped, arching her back at the cool sensation.

"Fitz…" She breathed as he kissed down the line, licking up the sweet cream. He did the same to her nipples, dabbing them with cool whip and sucking them clean. Olivia's back was arched and she was moaning sensually. Finally, he removed her blind fold.

"I love you." He blurted. Every now and then, he couldn't stop himself from saying those words. By the way her eyes misted over, he knew she felt the same, even if she didn't say it.

She grew restless against her bound wrists, so she used her feet to try to pull him closer. He got the message as he teased her opening with the tip of his dick. He could feel how incredibly ready she was as her arousal dripped onto him.

"Fuck… Just…" Olivia threw her head back at his teasing. " _Yes._ " She breathed as he entered.

He found a rhythm inside of her, increasing his pace. Olivia wanted to touch him so badly. Her wrists tied together only heightened her arousal and pleasure. She was completely at his mercy. He dipped two fingers into the cool whip and brought them to her lips as he continued to pound into her endlessly. Her mouth connected with his as she bit his lip. She was determined to express herself to him somehow.

He held her hip with one hand while his other was lost somewhere in her natural curls. As sweat formed on her brow, that familiar and exciting sensation bubbled in her core. She locked eyes with him as she spilled over the edge. The pleasure was too much for her to even make a sound as she came, mouth in an _o_ shape, brow furrowed.

Fitz felt his orgasm coming on strong. Fitz buried his face in her neck and kissed her collarbone and mumbled her name as he spilled into her. He reached up and untied her hands, earning a sigh from Olivia. He rested his head on her chest.

"I should let you win more often." She whispered as she leaned down to kiss his nose.

"Let me win?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe I wanted you to win."

"That sounds like a loser's justification." He joked as he kissed her collarbone and she hugged him closer.

/

He watched her from the comfort of the Jacuzzi on the back deck. He had been watching her all morning, surfing along the break. There was something about the way she navigated the waves that was so sexy to him. She was in her own zone, carving against the sizable swells. He cringed a couple of times when she wiped out, but she would always surface a couple seconds later, wipe the salt water from her eyes, and paddle back into it.

After she finished, Olivia came up the beach. She leaned her surfboard against the shed and peeled her wetsuit off of her body, hanging it over the rack. She did the same with her bikini, leaving her body completely natural in the early August sun. He watched in contentment as she shrugged a loose white sundress cover up over her shoulders and made it up to the house.

"Hi." He smiled widely as she came to sit on the edge of the Jacuzzi. Her hair was natural and a curly mess scooped onto the top of her head like a halo.

"Hi." She leaned over to kiss him lightly on the lips.

"How was the water?"

"The Atlantic has nothing on the Pacific." She smiled as she stole a sip of tea from his glass. She hummed her approval of the taste and took another sip. "The current was strong. I'll probably be incredibly sore in the morning."

"Is that going to be the ocean's fault?" Fitz smirked as he swiftly pulled her into the Jacuzzi. Her dress was soaked and water spilled over the side. She straddled him and his hands naturally went underneath her dress. The fabric was floating on the surface. "Where are you feeling sore?" He murmured as he large hands went to deeply massage her ass. Her back arched and her breath caught for a second.

"That's a good start." Olivia breathed as she bowed her head against his. He kissed her lips as he increased the intensity of his hands. He pulled her wet dress over her head and flung the wet garment onto the ground, leaving her, again, naked in his arms.

She latched her lips onto his neck, leaving a sloppy trail of her appreciation up to his earlobe. Her breath was warm as she expressed her pleasure at his ministrations against his skin. He could tell her muscles were exhausted, but she still craved a release. He flipped them around so that she was sitting on the underwater bench and he was kneeling in front of her. His hands massaged her thighs as he kissed her hard on the lips. When she was breathless and lightheaded, he moved down her chest to her nipples resting right above the water. He lifted each in his hands, giving them the proper care with his mouth. She tasted like the pacific ocean.

She was panting with her hands locked into his hair. Her head was leaning against the edge of the Jacuzzi, and he loved the thought of pleasing her in her exhaustion. Her hands moved down to his shorts as she pulled his dick out and began to stroke it with her skilled hands.

He got the message that she was ready, as he slid into her. The friction was enough to have them both moaning loudly. Water sloshed out of the Jacuzzi as he found his rhythm in her. Her hands went to his shoulders as she steadied herself. He had one arm hooked around the small of her back and the other bracing against the edge of the tub.

They were both taking advantage of the privacy as they didn't muffle their pleasure. Her cries increased as she neared her release. Fitz held back, wanting to see the beauty of her orgasm rippled through her petite frame, before he let go, burying his head into the crook of her neck. When he pulled out, he slid off of her, and sat next to her, pulling her against his chest and pulling her legs across his lap.

"Isn't this supposed to get boring at some point?" She giggled against his skin.

"Never." He laughed back, kissing the crown of her head, rubbing circles into her back.

She was quiet for a moment, enjoying the warm water of the Jacuzzi with the cool morning breeze. "I'm ready." She said softly

"For what?"

Olivia looked up at him and he knew what she was talking about.

"Oh." He made a start to get up, but she stopped him.

"Don't get down on one knee. That is too corny."

He couldn't help but laugh as he kissed her nose.

"Olivia Pope, will you marry me?"

"Yes."

* * *

 **I'm sorry, but this is the final chapter. I know it might feel like I am just cutting it off with a lot of loose ends, but I honestly didn't plan on this story becoming so long. I hope you enjoyed it. I have another story in mind, but I'm not sure if I will have the time to write it. Just stay tuned, and leave your thoughts below!**


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